A new adventure, what else?
by Unfufilled
Summary: Spoilers for 3.5 if you haven't gotten to that point yet! The Warrior of Light, in the aftermath of certain events is left with self-loathing. That is, until Cid shows him a certain portal into an unknown world. He told the Scions, "A new adventure, what else?" Time to make good on that promise.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hello, Fanfiction community! This fanfic here was inspired by Nemesis Astraea's DRK crossover story. FFXIV is near and dear to my heart, both story and gameplay wise, and RWBY, despite not being highest quality stuff, is one of my recent obsessions. Have a story combining the two! The story starts off at the end of the 3.5 storyline, so if you haven't finished up to that point, beware of spoilers! I wasn't planning to release this story this soon, but the Stormblood trailer really got me riled up.

I really wanted to write this in an attempt to humanize the WoL. Most of what we know is from cutscenes, and in Heavensward he shows plenty of emotion. I mainly wanna see our character emote more and be more personally involved with more characters, so this story is an attempt to give my take on things, as well as fanboy a bit about the character. The WoL in this story looks a bit like the Midlander Hyur we see in the trailers, with similar hair, but black in color. He's got a similar body type too. I'll get around to uploading a cover image that shows him properly, in his story attire, but for now imagine him as looking similar to the "trailer WoL" and Warrior of Darkness.

 **Chapter 1**

The Warrior of Light hardly considered himself a hero. He thought that he had failed too many to be considered something so grand. Yet with all of Eorzea clamoring around him, singing his praises he couldn't help but feel irked. Especially with what happened to Papalymo... He took another swing with his axe, Bravura. A few minutes had passed and the dummy was now tantamount to firewood before he knew it. He cast his eyes down before he felt a soft pat on his lower back. He turned around and saw a short, adolescent Elezen. A friend.

"Ah, Alphinaud. What's the matter?" The Warrior smiled down at the boy. Ever since their journey to Ishgard they'd been much closer.

"Well, the Scions were wondering where you've been as of late. And," Alphinaud gestured to the stack of maimed dummies, "I suppose I have my answer. Are you well?" Alphinaud looked concerned.

"I suppose." Though he said that, he knew the boy had a keen eye for his mannerisms. He looked away, supposing a lecture was about to occur.

"I know that's a lie. If the poor dummies weren't enough indication, you haven't treated the wound from a few days prior." The Elezen gestured to the slight bruise that Papalymo's spell had left on the Warrior. "Well knowing you, it is near healed anyways," he continued.

"You don't need to spare concern for me, Yda is the one…" The Warrior let this thought trail. Though he had been flung onto the ship rather forcefully by their departed friend, he hardly remembered the pain from the spell. If anything, the pain felt by the girl was much greater.

"Well, enough of that. Won't you rest for now? You have been at this for long enough. Cid has found something you might be interested in, at the Dravanian Hinterlands. Why don't you see what it is?" Alphinaud said, trying to get his friend's death grip on his axe relaxed.

"I suppose you are right. My thanks, Alphi." The Warrior said with a hearty laugh. He patted the boy's back roughly, before activating his Teleport spell despite the boy's protests at the nickname.

 **Idyllshire – Aetheryte**

"Ah, there you are my boy!" Cid's gruff voice resounded, alerting the Warrior to his presence immediately. "It's about the remains of Alexander that were left behind." Cid immediately switched into a more serious tone.

"Is it the Illuminati?" The Warrior narrowed his eyes at the thought.

"Actually, no. It's an anomaly. A portal into another world, or at least an unknown region! It's truly amazing. We've also confirmed that linkshells will work from Eorzea to the new world as well." Cid looked excited. "That said, it might be too dangerous for machine-loving folk like ourselves."The bearded man gestured to Biggs and Wedge, currently repairing _The Enterprise._

"Really? Let me see this portal." The Warrior eyes widened, and he could feel a certain wanderlust inside him beginning to stir. Thoughts of more daunting issues suddenly were pushed to the back of his mind.

 **The Dravanian Hinterlands**

The portal was much, much smaller than the Warrior had thought it would be. He thought it would be at least a fraction of Alexander's massive size. In fact, it looked to only fit one person at a time, maybe 3 yalms high and 2 wide. However, from the outside of the portal he could see a vast landscape, currently looking unoccupied. He wanted to see _more,_ and to explore this unnamed world. He longed to be enveloped in environments unknown, and explore new places. He was reminded of his first days as an adventurer, how everything had seemed so breathtaking and frozen for him alone. He truly wanted to experience that again. Maybe he could experience that again with this, he wondered to himself. He silently changed his Fighter Armor to a more casual, red Eastern togi and black trousers, putting on his comfortable Moonfire Caligae and Hyuran gloves.

"Now, we obviously can't bring our ships through this. But maybe a certain adventurer would be interested in exploring this new land?" Cid grinned from ear to eat, knowing of the Warrior's wanderlust. "Now that said, we can't just send you in there all of the s- OI! Let me finish! Ah, blast it!" Cid was cut off by the Warrior breaking off into a sprint, enchanted by the opportunities of the new world. He was jolted by the sudden shout into his linkshell.

"Let the Scions know of my location, please! As for _her_ , apologize to her for me, will you? I'll return soon! My thanks!" The Warrior's voice boomed into the linkshell, and Cid shook his head. "Same as ever, aren't you?" Cid sighed and wondered how he would explain the situation to the Scions, especially a certainly worried woman. He activated his linkshell to Alphinaud and prepared himself for a long lecture.

 **Kuroyuri – Lie Ren**

"Ren, knock it off!" Jaune screamed, but his voice reached deaf ears.

Things had taken a turn for the worse. Ren was panting, one knee on the floor, aura almost completely exhausted. Nora, his best friend, was knocked unconscious by the hideous Grimm, Ruby and Jaune were as exhausted as he. However, instead of pulling back and assessing the Grimm as per usual, he continued his desperate assault. The Grimm assaulted him with its long arms, extending to try and land a hit but he weaved in between each incoming blow. One strike came directly for his head, but he ducked under it, not noticing the Grimm's real aim. He looked down, and realized his mistake too late.

The Grimm's second arm was wrapping around his legs. He jumped, but the Grimm grabbed at his legs and smashed him into the ground, over and over. Jaune leaped into the air and struck the Grimm from behind, but this only angered the Grimm further. With its other arm that wasn't trying to smash the martial artist, it swung at Jaune, still in the middle of another swing aimed at its legs. The swordsman was flung back into an abandoned building, breaking the walls and exhausting his aura.

 **Kuroyuri - Ruby**

"Jaune!" Ruby cried out, but while she was distracted the Grimm swung at her, and her fragile frame was sent flying in the same direction as her Uncle Qrow, now barely conscious.

"Kid…get out of here." The poisoned man muttered, but Ruby shook her head violently.

"I can't!" She stood up with the help of Crescent Rose. "They _need_ me!" Now on the verge of tears, she crumpled, her Aura at its limits. She reloaded Crescent Rose, and prepared to use the recoil to do _something_ to that monstrous Grimm. She fired once to propel herself into the air, twice to gain speed, charging straight at the Grimm and finally used her semblance to slash at the Grimm with lightning speed. The Grimm uttered an ear piercing scream, and let go of Ren while focusing its attention onto Ruby, flailing its arms wildly. The girl was knocked into a wall, now slumped onto her scythe and breathing unevenly.

Surprisingly, Ren got up _again._ His eyes full of hatred, he screamed the loudest Ruby had ever heard the boy, all while charging into the Grimm despite his weapons being knocked away from him. He drew a knife, similar in design to StormFlower.

"GET AWAY, REN!" Ruby screamed as she opened fire on the Grimm, though it did little to stop the Grimm from once again setting its sights on Ren. However, everything seemed to stop for just a moment when an unknown voice spoke up from where Qrow lay.

"Seven HELLS!" The voice came from a man in a sleeveless, red eastern garb. His face had a few scars, and his hair was black, short and messy. And his eyes were on the monstrous Grimm standing in the center of the ruined city. Where Qrow once was, the man stood, with what looked like medicine bottles scattered about Qrow's lying body. From what Ruby could see, the wounded man looked much healthier, probably because of whatever medicine the unknown man used. Maybe he was a traveling doctor. Whatever he was, it didn't matter right now.

"Who are you? Get away from here!" The girl shouted, once again firing shots into the huge Grimm. The man, instead of running like a traveling doctor _should_ , instead walks forward calmly, straight at the Grimm.

"Who am I? An adventurer, what else?" The unknown man draws an absolutely massive axe from nowhere, shocking Ruby and Ren. The Grimm, still enraged, swings at the adventurer from both sides, intending another grab. The adventurer grunts, and readies his axe. As if in slow-motion, he looked carefully at both arms, and instead of choosing to avoid them, both arms were blown back with a loud smashing noise. From a _Heavy Swing_ of his axe, the Grimm was sent reeling back, almost seeming surprised. The adventurer turned to Ren. "I assume you have a personal stake in this battle?" Ren, still surprised, nodded silently. "Vengeance, hm? Then I'll leave the finishing of this beast to you. I suggest not letting your emotions consume you. I assume you see the results now." The axe wielder noted the destruction and downed comrades everywhere.

"I know." Ren, now calm, readied himself. He clutched the knife to his chest and looked at the still unconscious Nora. "I won't let it end. Not like this. I can do this." Instead of the fragile, small girl he saw so many years ago, he saw a strong, fierce Nora. Even knocked out, she still had a death grip on Maghnhild.

"Alright then. Steel yourself boy, the fight begins anew!" The warrior charged at the Grimm with a confident grin on his face.

 **Chapter 1 -** **An adventurer, what else?**

 **A/N:** So how did you like it? I planned this to be two chapters, but I just shortened a bit of each and slapped them together. Please let me know how you felt, this story is for the fans of both series after all!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Hello again, readers! Back with another chapter of this story. I'm experimenting with perspective styles, so for this chapter, remember that character thoughts are _italicized, like so._ I might try to put them in quotes later, but we'll see. Nothing much else to say here, hope you enjoy!

 **Chapter 2**

 **Kuroyuri – Ren**

The unknown adventurer charged at the Grimm while rotating his axe, as if to stretch his muscles, and a light surrounded him. Instead of the relaxed stance he had taken before, this one was more challenging in nature, as if to express _Defiance._ The horse part of the Grimm seemed to sense the change in the adventurer's stance and charged at him, intending to trample him underfoot. But the adventurer was ready.

"Simple beast, aren't you?" He grinned and spun around, narrowly dodging the headlong charge but not before taking a _Brutal Swing_ with his axe using all of the momentum he had gained straight into the Grimm's side, leaving its horse-like legs disabled and stunning it. The Grimm screamed once again, downed but not defeated. _Amazing,_ Ren thought to himself, _with one swing?_

The Grimm launched an arm at the adventurer violently, but he sidestepped the strike and it crashed into a nearby wall, causing the adventurer to laugh. It threw its other arm, but instead of moving the adventurer stood completely still, instead choosing to raise his arm in a "come on" gesture and leaving his axe arm dropped. Ren's breath caught in his throat, what the hell was the man thinking, trying to stop _that_ Grimm head on?! Ren ran to intercept the Grimm, but knew he was going to be too late. The arm met the adventurer with a huge crash, kicking up a massive cloud of concrete and dust. Hearing a huge crack of something breaking, Ren assumed the worst.

 _Damn it,_ he thought. Another victim to this monster. But the Grimm had stopped moving, and the arm it had launched was missing. It made a motion to free its arm, but it was caught. Ren saw a glint in the midst of the cloud of debris, and then a laugh.

"Not a bad shot." The adventurer's snark was followed by a cough. "Gah, bloody debris!" Instead of moving out of the debris however, he swung with his axe, instantly clearing the surrounding cloud. The full aftermath was revealed, he really HAD stopped the Grimm. His left hand was clutching the Grimm's massive arm by the wrist, relatively unscathed. "What monsters like you lack, is _Raw Intuition._ " The monster roared in response, readying its other arm. Ruby and Ren flinched from the sidelines.

"Are you okay?!" Ruby shouted from the side, still using Crescent Rose as support.

"All well and good here. Tend to your friends, would you?" The adventurer gestured to the blonde boy collapsed in a building, as well as the unconscious hammer wielder. Ruby nodded, and rushed to her friend's sides. "And you! Boy!" He barked at Ren, who flinched again.

"My name is Ren." Ren replied, slightly annoyed.

"Ha, then Ren it is. Are you ready to put an end to this?" The adventurer asked, humor having left his eyes. Ren nodded in response, and the adventurer let go of the Grimm's arm, now fractured from his grip. "Handle this for a moment then!" The adventurer kicked the Grimm's arm away from himself, and the Grimm turned its sights on Ren.

 _Ugh, damn it! Alone?!_ Ren thought to himself as the Grimm charged.

 **Kuroyuri – Warrior**

He'd been meaning to test this for a long time now. He had a plan to immobilize the beast, all at once, but he wasn't used to the technique he was about to attempt. The beast charged at Ren while the girl rushed to rouse her comrades. Ren rolled out of the way of the charge aimed at him, simultaneously slashing at the beast's side. The Grimm struck out with its one good arm, which Ren leaped over and used his Aura to perform a double palm strike on the Grimm's chest. The Grimm was forced back momentarily.

 _Impressive,_ thought the Warrior. _The boy, er, Ren, had a lot of fight in him. I'd best not disappoint._ The Warrior nodded to himself. _Alright then. Let's test this._

Images of a Warrior, much like him, swam through his mind. One who looked similar to himself, and even had a similar role. A Warrior of Light no longer, but a Warrior of Darkness. In the last confrontation they had, he had seen the Warrior of Darkness do something no Warrior had done before, with his _Holmgang._ Usually the ability was used to grasp survival at any cost, but instead, the Warrior of Darkness used the ability differently. The last thing he said to the Warrior of Light…

" _We made our choice, and you see what came of it. So please… forge a different path. Seize a better fate."_

As one fool to another, right?

"NO MORE GAMES!" The Warrior shouted, mirroring the Warrior of Darkness. He raised his hand, and a series of 4 chains made from his own aether shot out of his hand, grasping at the beast's two arms from behind, wrapping them in a vice, as well as locking two of the beast's legs into place. _I am fortunate that it worked the first time I tried. Thank you, Arbert._ _I promise that I will forge a different path._

 **Kuroyuri – Ren**

Ren calmly walked up to the Grimm that now screamed at him violently. He calmly faced the Grimm that had caused him so much grief. From the side, Nora was standing with the help of Ruby. He smiled and nodded at her, and she smiled back. Radiant as the sun.

He spun the knife in his hands into a reverse grip, slashing up and severing the Grimm's left arm. _For my mother._ It howled at him, even louder than before, but he did not falter. He held the Grimm by the horns, keeping its head in place. He slashed backwards at the Grimm's remaining arm. _For my father_. The Grimm now went through spasms, its head screaming directly at him. He sliced calmly at the Grimm's exposed chest. _For all those that you've slain._ The Grimm, now severely weakened, shrieked and flailed about. Ren closed his eyes.

"For myself." He opened his eyes, the last of his rage directed into his blade. And he slashed at the Grimm's neck, decapitating and killing it for good. A huge cloud of black smoke rose into the sky, eventually disappearing into nothing. He fell to his knees, and closed his eyes again before being tackled by Nora and drawn into a warm embrace. _Thank you, Nora. Thank you, everyone._

 **Kuroyuri – Jaune**

Jaune smiled at the pair currently hugging on the floor. He was just glad the battle was over. After being woken up by Ruby, he saw a man in a red robe holding the Grimm in place using some weird, magic chains. _That guy must be insanely strong. I wonder if those chains are his semblance._ His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of airships nearby, getting closer.

"Guys, I think I hear something!" Jaune shouted. Ruby, who ran to Qrow as soon as the battle was over, looked over and sighed in relief. Qrow spoke up.

"It's quiet. Good job, kiddo." He said in a much healthier tone than before. Ruby smiled at her uncle.

"Are you okay, uncle Qrow?" She asked while inspecting his wounds.

"I'm fine. The stranger who came here treated the poison a bit and told me to lie still. Where is he, by the way?" Ruby scanned the area, and found Jaune in front of the adventurer, axe now resting on his back.

"Thank you so much for saving us. We're a team heading to Mistral. I'm Jaune, the girl over there is Ruby and I'm guessing you already met Ren. The one crushing him with a hug is Nora. What's your name?" Jaune introduced them, to which the adventurer scratched the back of his neck and replied,

"It was nothing. As for my name, how about we discuss it after you get cured? You seem worse for wear, to be honest." The adventurer gestured to Jaune's numerous bruises and cuts from being smashed into walls by the Grimm. The adventurer looked at the ships about to drop down at their location. "They do not look as if they bear any ill intent. Maybe they have medical supplies?"

 **Kuroyuri, 30 minutes later – Warrior**

Having been distracted momentarily from surveying the area, he looked around at the abandoned city. From what it looked like, the architecture was similar to the Doman buildings he had heard of. His thoughts drifted to an certain Au Ra woman, and he smiled slightly. He then pondered the nature of the world he was in. _Maybe this is one of the 13 worlds that fall between light and dark._ _It doesn't seem to be the one Arbert spoke of, but still…_ He pushed the thought aside, there was too much he did not know. The technology of this world seemed more advanced than what Eorzea had to offer, maybe as advanced as the Garleans if the weapons he saw were any indication. Cid would have a ball if he could study their technology. But signs of aether were weak coming from the land. He placed his hand on his hip, his other hand holding his chin. He turned around, looking at the young team (and older man) being treated by the crew on the ship. Instead, aether seemed to gather around the people of this world. Like a shield, it enveloped them. He would ask them of it later, but for now, an introduction was long overdue. The Warrior walked up to the team after their wounds had been treated.

"My apologies. If I had been sooner in coming to your aid, you all would have suffered less injuries." He said stoically.

"No way, I said thank you didn't I? You've got nothing to apologize for!" The blonde boy, Jaune, spoke up.

"Hey, Ren, this guy speaks a little funny." The ginger haired girl, Nora whispered to Ren. The Warrior noticed that they were holding hands, and leaning close to each other. _How nice,_ he thought, ignoring the comment made on his speech.

"Nora, that's rude." Ren deadpanned at Nora, but sighed and continued to speak. "You know, you never did tell us your name. I'd at least like to know the name of the man who helped us." Ren smiled, looking the Warrior straight into the eyes. The Warrior returned the smile with a grin.

"Ah, forgive my manners. As I said, I am an adventurer. My name is Elway Ryse."

 **Chapter 2 – As one fool to another**

 **A/N:** Finally I can stop referring to him as "adventurer" or "warrior!" I could have revealed his name earlier I suppose, but I'm a fan of late introductions. Anyways,I've been waiting to write the scene where he recalls the Warrior of Darkness! Arbert was the Warrior of Darkness' name if anyone forgot. I do hope they come back to the story in some form, since I was kind of disappointed that their role ended so quickly. Being able to use the Warrior of Darkness' version of Holmgang is my dream. A hint at the next chapter, they don't use the airship to go to Mistral! Update will maybe happen within a week or two, because being an accounting major is suffering. Just ask any accounting major. See you next time!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Hello everyone! Back with another update. Hope you enjoy!

 **Chapter 3**

 **The Outskirts of Kuroyuri – Elway**

Elway watched the team interact with the pilots of the ships, hearing unfamiliar terms such as "Mistral," "Aura," and "Dust," but not likely the kind he was thinking of. From what he understood, the world he was on is named "Remnant." He hummed to himself, a song he once heard the Dravanians sing. He was interrupted by a flask being shoved into his field of vision. Judging from the smell, it was potent.

"Want a drink?" The wounded man, Qrow, if he remembered correctly, offered the flask to Elway. He politely shook his head, not trusting himself with alcohol, at least not here. Not to mention that his tolerance was on par with a child's. The last time he had drank with Thancred, the two had ended up facedown in Rowena's storage house, surrounded by the guards of Mor Dhona as well as a good chunk of the Scions. Thancred tried to use a Teleport spell, and ended up emptying the contents of his stomach. On Elway's armor. Recalling the scene, he grimaced.

"Well, suit yourself. I do gotta thank you for helping out the kids. And me, of course." Qrow ran a hand through his grayish hair. "You said you were an adventurer?" Qrow took a swig of the flask. A long one. Elway gave a stoic nod. "Alright, lemme cut to the chase. You're not from around _here_ , right?" Qrow made eye contact with Elway. Elway understood the meaning of the question. The man knew that Elway was from another world, or at least not a simple adventurer.

"Yes, that's correct." Elway broke eye contact, choosing to look at the expansive land around them. He crossed his arms before continuing. "To put it simply, I'm from another world. Or so I think."

"Another world, huh? That might explain why you don't have an aura. How'd you get here, then?" Qrow replied, curious. To Elway, he seemed a little skeptical, but intrigued.

"The circumstances are beyond me, truthfully. There was a portal in my land that led to a cave around here, and then I heard the screams of that beast. If I may ask, what is an aura?" Elway turned to look at Qrow.

"An aura is the manifestation of a person's soul. Every person with a soul should theoretically be able to have one. And that 'beast' you fought is called a Grimm, monsters without a soul. That one was a particularly nasty type," Qrow frowned, remembering the screams that it made. "Anything else you wanna know?"

"This may be a tad too personal, but how old are those children?" Elway gestured to team RNJR, with an apprehensive look in his eyes.

"They should be 'round 17, except for my niece. She's 15. Why d'ya ask?" Qrow raised an eyebrow.

"So young, and fighting creatures like that…" Elway recalled that Alphinaud and Alisaie were only 16, but always felt a need to protect them. His mind flashed back to the trial that the Heavens Ward had forced upon Alphinaud, and making short work of the two corrupt knights.

"They're hardly kids anymore." Qrow's voice sounded dusty, and aged for a bit. "In this world, fighting the Grimm means starting young. I got a question for you, actually. What are you doing here, in Remnant?"

Elway looked troubled for a moment, remembering that he left the Scions behind, albeit momentarily. He touched his chest, remembering a certain Lalafell, but shook the thought out of his head. "I… don't exactly have any business here at the moment." Qrow, sensing that Elway didn't want to speak of the matter anymore, decided to back down.

"Any more questions for this dusty old man then?" Qrow cracked a self-depreciating grin.

"Ah, then that's all. Will you be boarding the ship onto…Mistral?" Elway hoped he didn't botch the name of the city.

"Yeah. Ain't exactly healed yet." Qrow gestured to the wound on his side, no longer bleeding but still looking painful. "Thanks, again for helping me out. The kiddo's been real worried the past few days."

"It was nothing, I assure you. I suppose I should be taking my leave soon." Elway turned his gaze to the horizon, but was interrupted by Qrow clearing his throat.

"Actually, uh, I think the kids got somethin' planned." Qrow gestured to the team, nodding at the pilots, as if to say 'leave it to us!' "Could I ask you to look after them for a while? I have business in Mistral, but you could probably do more adventurin' if you were to follow them." Elway thought about the prospect of accompanying them for a short while, and nodded.

"Of course. I will do my best to help them in their endeavors for now." Qrow sighed, as if a weight was lifted from his back.

"Alright, thanks. I'll be seein' you around, maybe." Qrow started walking back towards the ships, taking a swig of his flask while waving at Elway. Ruby stopped him for a bit worriedly, checking his wounds and making sure the man was okay to walk, before frowning at the flask in the man's hand. Qrow chuckled, and then ruffled the young girl's hair while boarding the ship. Qrow said something to Ruby, and she nodded happily, mouthing the words 'you got it.' Elway smiled at the exchange. Family was family, no matter what world you were in.

"Mister Elway! Uncle Qrow said you were gonna come with us? That's great!" Ruby sped up to Elway as he flinched, surprised at the girl's energy. She bounced on her heels expectantly, surely happy that her uncle was well.

"That's right," Elway smirked. "He told me to look after you and the rest of your team."

"I'm not a kid, Uncle Qrow!" Ruby yelled at the ships, from where a faint 'Hah! Yeah, right kiddo,' was heard. Elway laughed lightly. The rest of the team appeared behind Ruby, each waving to Elway with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

"Welcome to team RNJR then! Uh, for now I guess." Nora sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck.

"It'll be a pleasure to have you around." Ren smiled while bowing slightly to Elway.

"Hey, thanks for deciding to stick around." Jaune came up and shook Elway's hand. "We're team RNJR, you probably know already though." Jaune laughed a bit. "Anyways, the pilots told us there were bandits on the roads to Mistral, and we offered to check it out. Maybe even fix the problem. We're back in fighting condition, so we're good to go!"

"I suppose I'll be accompanying your team for a while. I promise you the best of my abilities." Elway nodded to the team, but not before experiencing a slight ringing in his head, followed by a pain. His vision blurred, as voices on concern were snuffed out by the ringing. Their concern was unneeded, as this was a sign of the Echo.

The vision he saw that day had him very concerned, however.

 **On the way to Mistral – Qrow**

Qrow had a pretty damn high opinion of the man he had just met. Clearly very skilled despite lacking an aura, strength that must have had people jealous, and he was pretty considerate as well. Hard to find people like that nowadays. He took a swig of his flask, and continued his thoughts.

All that was alright, but something did make him worry. Usually he would've offered to unlock the man's aura, or at least find him someone in better condition who could. But whatever Qrow sensed around the man indicated he didn't _need_ aura. Or at least, he would get along fine without it. An otherworldly energy swirled around Elway, one that he couldn't explain. As if he were protected by gods, but even then Elway's own energy was almost oppressive. One thing's for damn sure though, he wasn't a simple adventurer. Obviously.

 **Road to Mistral, next day – Elway**

The group had decided to camp on the outskirts of Kuroyuri after the ships had departed for Mistral, deciding that even though their wounds were healed, they could use a rest. Elway noticed that they fell asleep almost instantly, and Ren and Nora had slept in close proximity. On the road the next day, however, he was in for a surprise.

If Ruby's energy before surprised Elway, her energy _now_ terrified him. She was frequently running around him, to and fro, inspecting Bravura while shouting about the nature of his fighting style and such.

"What's your axes name, did you make it?" Ruby asked excitedly.

"Uh, Bravura. I wasn't the one who made it or gave it the name, however." Elway remembered Gerolt referring to the ancient weapons by their names in ancient scriptures, but never really gave them much thought.

"That's weird! Where'd you learn to fight? Combat school? Huh? Were those chains your semblance?" Ruby bounced around him, curiousity still unsatisfied.

"I had some help from other warriors, but I'm mostly self-taught. And the chains…we'll talk about another time." Elway recalled George and his brother, digging up ancient Warrior techniques, among his other teachers. He grimaced upon remembering Fray, but quickly pushed that thought to the back of his mind.

"That's so cool! That means you got your own style and everything!" Ruby grinned at him directly. "Where'd you come from then? You don't look like you come from Mistral!"

"Ah, yes, not from around here." Elway looked away, but Ruby persisted.

"Then how did you get to Mistral, what are you doing here?"

"I, ah flew here with an airship. But my pilot was lost somehow." Elway tried his best to lie about the situation, since explaining the situation to a child would be difficult. And a bit annoying.

"Oh, we should find your pilot soon then! What'd he look like?" Ruby looked concerned, and Elway instantly felt guilty.

"Long…white hair? With a trimmed beard, and white clothing!" Elway mentally apologized to Cid for using his likeness in an (obvious) lie.

"We'll keep a lookout!" Ruby saluted and Elway, and he awkwardly grinned back.

"Okay, okay Ruby that's enough bothering him." Jaune came to his rescue, and gently pushed a pouting Ruby out of the way. For a second, Jaune's gaze at Elway was wary. _Ah, hell, the boy must be fairly sharp,_ Elway thought to himself. Eventually, he'd have to explain himself. For now, it could wait.

"Let's go find us some bandits then, aye?" Elway said to the group. They laughed in response, and Elway tilted his head.

"Are you a pirate now, Elway?" Nora asked in between chuckles.

While not entirely untrue (being a member of the Maelstrom), his face reddened in embarrassment, he'd have to work on his speech in this world sometime.

 **Chapter 3 – (Not) A simple adventurer. Obviously.**

 **A/N:** So, just an interlude-ish chapter for this time. Didn't get to do a whole lot of proofreading this time so I'll fix mistakes I see. A little dialogue between our main character and the team +Qrow, and yes, that's Elway's aether as well as the blessing of light from Hydaelyn that's got Qrow worried. Next chapter will have a week timeskip, as well as a certain character being introduced! See ya next time!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **Road to Mistral – Elway**

Jaune charged at Elway at full speed, sword poised to strike. His heavy footsteps stopped as he dug his feet into the ground at struck out with his shield, aiming at Elway's stomach. Elway lowered Bravura to catch the shield, before his eyes widened in surprise at Ren vaulting over Jaune. The two stuck simultaneously, Jaune with Crocea Mors and Ren with StormFlower, Ren aiming for his left and Jaune aiming at his right.

Elway roared, a blue shield covering him and with his _Foresight_ , gritted his teeth and took two consecutive slices on his shoulder from StormFlower before kicking his left leg out and forcing Ren to raise his arms to defend himself, knocking the boy back. He grunted from the slight pain received from the attack before he blocked Crocea Mors with Bravura's shaft, and struck Jaune's chest, sending him flying into a tree. Elway heard the sound of continuous shots, remembering that Ruby was somewhere providing supporting fire. He blocked his front with Bravura, noting that the shots were coming from his left. With Bravura blocking each shot in rhythm with the sound of Crescent Rose firing, he prepared an aetherial axe and leaped into the sky, throwing the axe in the direction of the shots with a grunt, as if using a _tomahawk._ He grinned as he heard the axe hit home, afterwards hearing a yelp of surprise as the girl hit the ground.

Ren came back at Elway in full force, running and shooting at the Elway, who dodged and blocked stray shots with Bravura. Elway swung out at Ren, who ducked under gracefully and used the momentum to launch a sweeping kick at Elway's knees, knocking him off balance. Elway saw Ren quickly move out of the way as he heard a loud ringing noise, and guessed instantly that Nora was coming. _Fast._ He looked directly up, seeing the energetic girl coming straight down with Magnhild and matched her grin with his own. Instead of moving, he changed his stance to a defiant one, and swung at the girl's legs with the blunt side of Bravura, knocking her off trajectory and making her fall into Ren.

Jaune and Ruby came at Elway on different sides, Jaune now combining Crocea Mors to make a heavier sword. Ruby used her semblance to jump into the air, and then gain more speed, then using Crescent Rose, slashed at Elway downwards, forcing him to bring up Bravura in a block. The two massive weapons clashed, and Ruby dug her feet into the ground, holding Bravura in place with her scythe.

"Now, Jaune!" Ruby grinned at Elway, sensing victory. Jaune's charge turned into a sprint, holding his sword at his side, already beginning a massive cut aimed at Elway's back.

"Haha! Impressive!" Elway laughed heartily. Ruby looked confused before she noticed she was spinning, yelling in surprise as she tried to keep her grip on Crescent Rose. Elway overpowered Ruby, bringing Bravura up into his regular combat stance, but kept their weapons in their deadlock, and turned his attention to the blonde boy. Elway charged at Jaune, weapon still interlocked with Ruby's as he jumped up, spinning around in a _Steel Cyclone,_ roaring as his chest flared from the pain of Jaune's slash but still blowing both Ruby and Jaune back with the sheer force that the skill had unleashed. Surrounding trees were felled from the attack, and the two fell on each other, subsequently collapsing.

"Ugh… we give up now!" Jaune groaned from under Ruby, raising a white flag that came from nowhere.

"Ow… that one really hurt, Elway!" Ruby complained, still unmoving from on top of Jaune.

"That was the point, I'm afraid." Elway smirked at the team as they recovered, getting up slowly. Ruby got up with a moan and dusted herself off before offering a hand to Jaune, who accepted with a grateful smile. Nora was standing fairly healthily, but had a dizzy looking Ren around her shoulders. Elway rolled his shoulder back twice and cracked his neck side to side as a green light surrounded him establishing _Equilibrium_ and curing his wounds. Elway touched his chest, feeling the fabric of the robe torn. He'd have to mend the material later.

A week had passed in their journey to fix the bandit problem near Mistral. The road to Mistral was still fairly long, and villages had asked help of them every now and then. Along with the search for bandits, the journey was fairly long one. The group had a daily routine of sparring every now and then, but realizing that Elway was much more experienced, decided on a team match against him. Team RNJR needed to stay sharp, after all. And Elway could certainly use the practice.

During the week of their journey together, Elway had learned much about the world of Remnant, as well as the team he traveled with. For one, while aura was similar to aether, he learned that it acted differently. Magic wasn't inherent in the people of this world, but they could use "semblances," which were personal abilities enabled by the person's aura. He found the concept intriguing, but decided against seeking to unlock his aura, guessing that the process to do so would likely be complicated. He was from another world after all. Also, they had a resource named "Dust," which people used to combat the Grimm with elemental properties. It seemed to have many applications, and he admired the fact that it had so many practical uses. The Grimm, he had noticed, were unlike beastmen in that they had no sense of self, and seemed to act completely according to instinct. He remembered the horseman-like Grimm they had fought when he arrived in Remnant, and how it had dissipated into nothing upon death. There was certainly something behind these creatures that people haven't figured out yet.

Also, Elway had grown quite close with the young Team RNJR. Ruby was a girl determined to help as many people as she could, and had the energy and will to do so. She also had a penchant for weapons, and frequently pestered Elway for more details on Bravura, as well as asking if he had any other weapons. Still, he admired Ruby's courage and ability to smile through hard times.

 _Like a hero,_ Elway amusedly thought to himself. He genuinely admired the girl's ideals.

Jaune was a natural leader, and cared for his team a great deal. The boy neglected his own health sometimes, and that worried the rest of the team. Elway promised not to tell the rest of his team, but Jaune would stay up most nights and practice by himself. When Elway offered to help, he gave Jaune advice on how to more effectively strike with his sword and shield, drawing upon his days of Gladiator training.

Ren was a quiet boy, but his calm demeanor (mostly) meant that the team always had a pillar of support to help them through rough patches. Though Elway often teased him for losing his cool when they had first met.

Nora had the energy to match Ruby's, and had an unbelievably positive outlook. She had impressive mental fortitude, and while a bit straightforward combat-wise, there was no lacking in physical strength either. And Elway would laugh whenever Nora would bother Ren with her antics, the boy clearly exasperated yet appreciative.

Elway was glad he ran into the team, they were kind as well as strong. And he would certainly do what he could to help them. The vision he saw with the Echo a week ago still weighed heavily on his mind, however. He knew that certain members of the team had issues that were left unsaid.

Elway felt a pat on his back, and turned around.

"Sorry about your clothes, they got torn up in the fight, didn't they?" Jaune looked at the tears in Elway's clothes, feeling a bit guilty.

"Nonsense. It was a fine strike. I can repair my clothes as well, so it is more important that you obtain experience."

"Well, even if it was fine you sure healed quick." Jaune gave Elway a once-over and saw no remaining wounds. "How did you…?"

"Ah, one of my abilities. Your teamwork today was fantastic, by the way." Elway smiled.

"Thanks, we'd been working on that plan for a few days now!" Jaune looked excited, and continued to talk about the fight while the rest of Team RNJR called out to the two, signaling the nearing of a new village.

 **Maten Village – Ruby**

The village was about the same as others, with similar buildings and whatnot. When they arrived at the gates, they asked if they could see the village leader just to ask for a place to stay as well as anything of note. Elway went off to wander the village without saying anything, admiring the surroundings.

Ruby expected there to be some sort of problem that the team could help with, but the village leader just asked that they stay and rest, since they were already taking care of the bandits.

"Aww, you sure? Nothing that you guys need help with?" Ruby asked hopefully.

"Well, on your way to the bandit encampment I'd like for you to be careful. We haven't confirmed anything, but there are rumors of a shadow on the trails. We've received word from other villages that it might be near us, so keep an eye out." The village chief, afterwards directed them to an inn afterwards, offering them free lodging. Ruby and Nora were directed to a room for 2, while Jaune and Ren went to a slightly bigger room of 3 beds.

"The last bed is for your friend, when he returns. We'll make sure he finds his way here." The innkeeper smiled at them and closed the door.

"Sure is nice to have a bed for once!" Nora shouted, jumping onto the bed gleefully.

"Yeah, my legs are so tired, especially after our spar… Let's just sleep forever." Ruby collapsed onto the bed face first.

"Agreed! Night Ru…" Nora didn't finish her sentence and fell asleep instantly. Ruby giggled softly, before drifting off.

Or at least, she would have liked to before she heard a knock on their door.

"WHO?! WHO'S INTERRUPTING OUR-" Nora rose with a jerk, and furiously opened the door, but stopped upon realizing it was Jaune. "Jaune! Even if it's you I won't forgive you for stopping our precious sleep!" Nora got into a mock-battle stance.

"Take it easy, please Nora. Others are probably sleeping already." Jaune tried to calm Nora down while explaining himself. "Listen, Elway still hasn't come back. We're a little worried."

"Oh, yeah… didn't he just go off to explore though?" Ruby replied, still half-collapsed onto the bed.

"Yeah, I guess. I'm still gonna go out and look for him, I'm just feeling a little anxious." Jaune looked at his feet nervously.

"Okay then, I'll come with!" Ruby declared.

"Me too!" Nora raised her hand. She rushed off into the neighboring room, pulling a reluctant and sleepy Ren out by the hand. "And him!" Nora raised the boy's hand against his will.

Twenty minutes had passed since they had decided to look for Elway. The man had a fairly recognizable outfit, so it shouldn't have been too hard, right? But the village was quiet, all the residents had either gone home or were in the process of doing so. Eventually, they decided to scout the outskirts of the village, coming to a road populated mostly by trees. It was getting hard to see the village from here, so the team was getting ready to return until Ren stopped them.

"Wait. Someone's there." Ren held up a hand, sensing something. The group noticed a man in red clothing with an axe on his back, standing in an area clear of trees.

"Oh, it's Elway!" Ruby ran out, waving her hands. "Hey, we've been looking for you!"

Elway turned around to greet her, but flinched and turned around quickly, his eyes scanning the trees.

"Ruby, he's not the only person here, watch out!" Ren called as the rest of Team RNJR ran to Ruby, preparing themselves for a fight.

"Get ba- Guh!" Elway turned his attention to the team, before being rushed by a dark, masked figure. The figure kicked Elway in the chest, then stepped off, jumping away before he could retaliate. In the dark, Ruby couldn't see any features of the assailant, but they stepped back into a patch of light from the cracked moon. She saw a purple hood and dark armor as well as a pair of elegant daggers.

"Ugh, that's enough of frightening me. And the children." Elway scratched his head and sighed. "Even in the dark, I know it's you."

The figure laughed softly. A feminine voice.

"My apologies. It was a jest." The shadowed figure took off the bottom portion of her mask first, revealing a mysterious smile. She then took off the top half, and lowered the hood from her head. The first thing Ruby noticed was her pale, ghostlike skin. She saw what looked like scales, and noticed a white tail. Ruby examined the face of the figure closely, she was beautiful! Her sleek black hair framed her face, and her smile reached her bright green eyes.

 _A faunus? Does she know Elway?_ Ruby thought, before Elway spoke up.

"Frightening me aside," Elway shook his head and smiled. He then walked forward, taking the woman's hand in his own. "It's good to see you here. Yugiri."

The woman's mysterious smiled curved up into a beaming one, looking into Elway's eyes.

"Likewise."

 **Chapter 4 – It's good to see you here**

 **A/N:** Hey, I'm back with another chapter! And another person from Eorzea has finally made their appearance! I didn't feel too satisfied with this chapter, but please let me know what you thought! Trying to get a better feel for fight scenes.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Hello readers! Big thanks to the story's first reviewer, Warden of Lore! Hope to see more feedback soon. Anyways, here's the chapter!

 **Chapter 5**

 **Near Maten Village – Elway**

"How did you get here anyways, Yugiri?" Elway asked quizzically. As far as he knew the portal in Remnant was unguarded, but surely she wouldn't have just waltzed in like he did. She didn't exactly share his wanderlust, after all. He vaguely remembered something as he pondered her appearance here, as she tapped her foot and assumed a more neutral expression. What did he say before leaving again…

" _As for her, apologize to her for me, will you?"_

Oh no.

That could have been taken a number of ways. It was only natural to be a cause for concern to hear words like that, and have someone disappear right after.

"Uh… I am sorry, for what it's worth…?" Elway bit his lip anxiously.

"You had better be. You disappeared much too suddenly." Yugiri's brow furrowed. "But do not worry. I came here of my own will. Well, somewhat."

"What do you mean?" Elway tilted his head and saw Team RNJR stretching their heads and struggling to listen in on the conversation.

"Alphinaud and Alisaie are worried sick, you know. Only you could give those two such a scare." Yugiri giggled lightly, covering her mouth with her hand as she did so. "They asked me to follow you, and make sure that you were safe. Though, heavens know you do not require a bodyguard."

"I suppose I'm in for a long lecture from Alphinaud when I return." Elway sighed with feigned weariness. "It is nice to hear of them, though. How did you find me, though?"

"Master Cid gave me the approximate location of your linkshell. Aside from that, it isn't too difficult to seek a man with a massive axe." Yugiri smirked, as if stating the obvious.

"Fair enough. Ah, I should introduce you to the people who have taken care of me recently." Elway dragged Yugiri by the hand to the waiting Team RNJR.

"Ruby, Jaune, Ren and Nora, this is Yugiri. She's someone I trust with my life." Elway said proudly. "Also, she is a skilled fighter, and an incredibly kind and just person! She would never hesitate to save one of her own. I owe her a debt I can't hope to repay." Elway continued to go on and on about the Au Ra woman, but Team RNJR was uncharacteristically quiet.

"Huh, is something wrong?" Elway grew a little worried, he knew of the Faunus that lived in the world, surely Yugiri could not have looked odd to them. And he knew that they were certainly not discriminatory towards people with different traits.

Upon closer inspection, most of the members of the team had red faces. Nora was grinning as if she were catching onto something, Ruby covered her mouth with her hands in a surprised gesture, Jaune looked uncomfortable, looking anywhere but at Elway and Yugiri, and Ren smiled as Nora pointed at Elway's…arm? No, his hand?

Oh.

He followed Nora's point to his hand, and realized he was still holding onto Yugiri's hand. Quite firmly, at that.

"My, how bold." Yugiri, whose face was slightly flushed, opted to tease Elway. Elway let go of her hand and turned away from everyone, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Team RNJR laughed, seeing him embarrassed for the first time, and Yugiri smiled upon seeing his blushing face.

"W-Well! It's getting a bit late! Shall we head to the inn?" Elway's voice cracked slightly as he stuttered, and he cursed himself for it. Nora gasped audibly.

"Are you guys… TOGETHER-together?!" Nora bounced on her heels gleefully. She could see the obvious signs.

"A story for another time! Right, let's move now!" Elway just wanted to get away from here. He put his hand in his face, groaning as he heard Nora say "They totally are!"

"Come along now, Elway." Yugiri grabbed his other hand again, smirking at him knowingly. She started heading towards the direction of the village with him in tow, face still in his hand.

 **Maten Village Inn – Jaune**

The innkeeper had gladly given the group another room for Elway and Yugiri, but the group chose to stay in the empty lobby for now and talk for a bit. Team RNJR sat together around a table with mugs of a hot drink, while Elway and Yugiri sat next to the fireplace on the ground. Elway told Yugiri all about Grimm, and Aura, things that should be obvious. He talked animatedly, and his eyes lit up every time Yugiri laughed or interjected, asking a question.

Jaune sat detached from Team RNJR, instead listening to the two's conversation. For someone of his strength, these things should be common knowledge to Elway and his friend. Jaune had always been a little suspicious of Elway and where he came from. Whenever he talked about his home or what he was doing here, it was vague. Maybe now was a good time to ask questions. He got up and walked towards the fireplace.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt, but can we talk? All of us?" Jaune asked, looking directly at Elway. The two nodded, and moved near the table where the rest of Team RNJR sat.

"What is it, Jaune?" Elway asked.

"Elway, we can't thank you enough for saving us and traveling with us. But there's a lot we don't know about you." Jaune looked solemn. Ruby sensing that Jaune was serious, looked a bit worried.

"Now with Yugiri appearing, I think now's a good time. Be honest with us, what are you really doing here? Who are you?" The blonde boy ran a hand through his hair. "I know it might make you uncomfortable, but we have to know."

"Ah, I knew it would come to this eventually. It isn't a problem. I've been secretive, so I apologize for that." Elway nodded at Jaune.

"Really, I am not just an adventurer. I… and Yugiri, we've come from a different world. It's called Eorzea, and that's why we may seem out of place here." Elway stated. "It may be hard to believe, but trust me."

"REALLY, NO WAY! That's ama-" Ruby choked on her drink and started coughing. Jaune patted her back and motioned Elway to continue.

"Though, I really am here for an adventure." Elway shook his head, and remembered the events that happened before he left Eorzea. "Or maybe I'm here to run away. I don't know." He recalled the vision he saw with the Echo, and decided it was time.

"There's another thing. I have a power called the Echo."

 **Maten Village Inn – Elway**

"It allows me the power to see the past, and can even grant me a 'second chance,' if you will." Elway said, eyes cast down. Yugiri placed a hand on his shoulder, sensing what was to come. "Not just mine, however. It allows me to see what others have experienced."

"Does that mean you've seen ours?" Ruby asked quietly. Elway nodded.

"Just a bit. I saw a girl. Her name was Pyrrha." Elway responded in a dark tone. "You tried to save her, Ruby. And Jaune, she-"

"Stop. Don't talk about her." Jaune said angrily. Ruby's eyes were hidden behind her bangs. Ren and Nora were near tears. Elway instantly realized his mistake.

 _I've intruded on something dear to them. My insensitivity to the situation has…_ Elway closed his eyes.

"Don't pry into our memories. And don't say her name, please." Jaune advised, eyes narrowed, a tear threatening to spill out.

"I cannot control the Echo." Elway countered. He took a breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. "But I am sorry. I had no right."

"We should get some rest." Instead of discussing further, Jaune simply got up, and headed towards his and Ren's room. Ren followed behind, and bowed slightly to Elway and Yugiri before following Jaune.

"Good night, Elway, Yugiri." Ruby said meekly, but Elway knew he had hurt her too. Ruby and Nora walked into their room quietly. Once the doors had closed on the team's rooms, Elway sighed sadly. He was glad that his power could be used for others, but at the same time he despised it for being able to pry into something so precious.

He looked to Yugiri, who said nothing, but instead led him by the hand to the fireplace once more. She motioned that he sit down next to her, which he did. He leaned his head onto her shoulder silently as she moved closer to him, sharing their warmth.

 **An hour later – Jaune**

Jaune grabbed Crocea Mors, being unable to sleep. He had decided to go practice instead, shaking the earlier conversation out of his mind. As he walked out of the room, he hid behind a wall as he heard a soft conversation. Elway and Yugiri.

"Are you well, Elway?" Yugiri asked.

"I will be fine. I don't expect them to forgive me, but that is alright." Jaune heard Elway shift, and peeked to see him leaning on the woman.

"Not that. Before you left Eorzea, you…"

"Ah. Papalymo. I failed to protect what was dear to me again." Elway's voice was heavy, as if on the verge of tears. "I had known him long, and yet

"No, Elway. He protected what was dear to him. Now we can only look after what he left behind." Yugiri straightened up and looked into Elway's eyes.

"You are right. What of Yda, then?" Elway's voice was a bit more calm now.

"Y'shtola is looking after her. She is in good hands."

"Then what of you, Yugiri? Are you well?" Elway asked lightly.

"…I am fine." Yugiri hesitated, and Elway noticed.

"You are just as worried as I. About them. You really are so kind." Elway smiled at her. Whether it be the refugees, the Scions or the Rogue's guild, Yugiri was kind and caring to everyone. His heart warmed a little at the thought.

"And not just the Scions either. It is about the Domans, too?" Elway prodded a bit. Even without the Echo, he knew what troubled her from time to time.

"You always see through me. It is true." Yugiri leaned on Elway, who chuckled a bit.

"Of course. Yugiri, we haven't forgotten. We promise to return to your homeland." Elway shook his head, recalling the words Hozan had once said.

 _To she who has given everything…_

"I shall give my all. As the Warrior of Light. When I return to Eorzea, I promise that I will do all in my power to get us there." Elway tapped his chest lightly as he said so, and Yugiri laughed.

"For those we have lost. For those we can yet save." Elway thought of his lost comrades as he closed his eyes, but smiled as he opened them to look straight at Yugiri.

"Thank you, Elway."

"I should be the one thanking you, Yugiri."

Elway moved closer to Yugiri, and the two kissed quickly, but lightly. Jaune blushed a bit and turned away, realizing he'd intruded on something private.

But still, he wondered. About Elway's world, and what the heck a "Warrior of Light" was. But he knew one thing:

Elway had lost a lot too.

Jaune promised silently to set things right, and learn more about the man.

 **Chapter 5 – For those we have lost. For those we can yet save.**

 **A/N:** Ahh, that was really fluffy near the end. Sorry if that isn't really your thing! Anyways, Yugiri's gonna be a major character in Stormblood and I can't wait! That's one of the bigger reasons she's in the story.

Tell me what you thought, and see you next time!


	6. Side Story 1

**A/N:** Hey guys, back with another update!

To yiggdrasill, no worries! I can see that people are following, which is nice to see. I do plan to bring in more elements from FF14, so look forward to it.

To pg2016, thanks for letting me know! At the moment, I have no plans for another story, at least not until I finish the first "arc" of this one. We're about 60-70% done with the first arc!

Anyways, this is the start of the "Side Story" series, which will explore Elway's experiences in Eorzea and Remnant. Some will be humorous, some will be more fluff-ish, and some will be depressing. Some will probably not even focus on Elway. I haven't decided yet, honestly. In particular, this one is a bit mixed.

This "Side Story" takes place after the end of 2.55, so expect suffering!

 **Side Story 1 – The case of…**

He watched over the sleeping Alphinaud and Tataru, glad that the two had finally gotten some rest. His eyes gave away his obvious exhaustion, multiple bags forming under them. He stood up shakily, using the wooden chair he was sitting on as support, breath coming out in short, painful gasps. Careful to not wake the sleeping two, he opened the door slowly, walking out and closing it with as little noise as possible.

As he stepped out, a gust of wind blew, sending shivers throughout his core. He pulled the brown cloak around him, meant to hide his identity. Though it was probably not necessary, after all. Camp Dragonhead was far enough from Ul'dah. From Eorzea. The man gritted his teeth, thoughts going down a dark path.

 _Damn it all. Damned Eorzea. Damned Ala Mhigo. Damned Crystal Braves. Damned monetarists._

 _Damn me._

The man, breathing painfully, clutched his chest.

His breath accelerated, his heartbeat skyrocketed. The stoic, brave face he had put on to comfort Alphinaud and Tataru crumbled in an instant. Tears began to form on the corner of his eyes. Despair clutched his mind in a vice.

 _The dawn's light will shine again? Would it really?_

The sultana. _I failed to save you._

General Raubahn. _I failed to save you._

Yda. _I failed to save you._

Papalymo. _I failed to save you._

Y'shtola. _I failed to save you._

Thancred. _I failed to save you._

Minfilia. _I failed to save you._

 _Why not me?_

 _Why couldn't I have been the one to…?_

"Why…?" He whimpered out in between gasps.

The Warrior of Light slumped against the stone wall, sliding down until he sat on the snow-covered ground. His head pounded as he grasped at his heart, hyperventilating, tears streaming down his face freely. He wanted to run, anywhere, but didn't have the strength. He couldn't let them see him like this.

 **Camp Dragonhead- Yugiri**

She received glares, as well as fearful stares as she strode through Camp Dragonhead, bringing a tray of food to a certain group. She knew that without her mask, she would receive this treatment. It was the Ishgardians who once exiled the Au Ra for bearing resemblance to Dravanians, after all. It mattered not, however. There were more important tasks at hand. Lord Haurchefant asked her to bring food to the group, since he was busy at the moment. She obliged, of course. Such was her duty, to Alphinaud, and to _him._

As she arrived, however, she stopped quickly and noticed that one of them was outside their room.

"Elway…" Yugiri called out softly to the man half-collapsed.

Instead of receiving a response, she could now clearly hear the man hyperventilating, and noticed that he was clutching at his heart. _An anxiety attack…?_

"Hold on." Yugiri stated, resolutely. She opened the door to their room and quickly set down the tray, before returning to Elway's side, kneeling down and looking directly at him.

"I am here for you. Breathe, slowly." Yugiri advised.

Elway seemed to finally notice her this time, and nodded, shutting his eyes painfully as he did so. She noted the bags under his eyes, as well as the tearstains on his cheeks, promising to scold him later. He took a deep inhale from his nose and breathed out of his mouth, but that didn't end his anxiety attack.

"Forgive me for this…" Elway gasped out, straining the words out of his mouth.

"Nonsense." Yugiri shook her head. "It is the least I could do. Now breathe deeply, again."

Elway nodded at her, more calmly this time, and breathed slowly once more, this time looking into her eyes through his own blurry ones.

 **Camp Dragonhead – Elway**

After a few moments of Elway trying to recover, he finally felt himself relatively at peace again. He touched his chest lightly, and felt no pain anymore. He sighed and opened his eyes to Yugiri still looking at him.

"Do you feel well, now?" Yugiri asked, still worried.

"Much so." Elway said with much more confidence than he had in the past day.

"Then…" Yugiri placed a hand on Elway's, looking down at their now touching hands. "Is this okay?" She tilted her head, awaiting confirmation.

Elway nodded a bit dumbly, and felt as if a cloud cleared from his mind. He looked into her deep green eyes, and felt himself captivated. Ever since she had shown up in Eorzea with the Doman refugees, Yugiri has been nothing but selfless. Elway admired that very much. She served others with a passion unmatched by anyone. Yugiri really did seem like a hero.

And also, now that he's seen her without her mask, he found it very, _very_ difficult to look away. She wasn't just 'pretty,' as Tataru put it. He had seen Au Ra before, and guessed that she was one a long time ago. What he hadn't expected, was that she would be so _beautiful._ He felt an urge to run his hand through her hair, and briefly wondered how her lips would feel against his.

He felt his cheeks heat up, contrasting the cold, snowy air.

 _That's a first. Didn't think I'd be so easily enchanted before._

"I've heard that light contact can help after an anxiety attack such as yours. I hope it was true." Yugiri smiled, before she noticed how intently Elway was staring at her. "Do you require anything?" Yugiri grew worried again.

"No, it's just…" Elway scratched the back of his head nervously, looking away from her. "I'm at a loss for words. Give me a moment, please."

"Of course." Yugiri smiled brightly at Elway, whose blush grew even deeper.

"To start, I never did get the chance to thank you for saving Tataru." Elway stated seriously. Yugiri opened her mouth to reply, but Elway continued. "But that's not it. I want to thank you for saving me as well. Just now, that is."

"Eorzea needs its hero, after all." Yugiri said carefully, not wanting to remind him of the events that had happened.

"But you know, you seem like the hero right now. Not me." Elway smiled at her for what felt like the first time in forever. He interlocked their fingers, at felt a surge of happiness when she blushed at the sudden increase in contact.

"Well, thank you for the high praise." Yugiri looked away, not willing to argue with his self-depreciating statement.

"Um, though I wasn't quite finished…" Elway couldn't believe himself, but his mouth opened before he could stop. Yugiri nodded for him to continue. "This may seem incredibly sudden, but…" Elway closed his eyes as he gripped Yugiri's hand even firmer.

"I may have fallen for you."

Everything felt silent. Tense. Even as Elway shut his eyes and felt his face heat up even more, now akin to fire.

Elway hoped he had not made a huge mistake in confessing right here and now.

He cracked open his eyes slowly, afraid to see her reaction. But she was calm.

Much more calm than he was, anyways. Aside from a slightly reddened face. And then he heard a small laugh from her, as she covered her mouth with her free hand.

"Well then, it looks like I've beaten you to something, for once."

 _What did that mean?_ Elway pondered, not quite understanding.

Not wanting to deepen his blush any further, he looked away momentarily, feeling incredibly nervous again. But that meant he didn't see her next action.

She moved her face close to Elway's, close enough that he could feel her breathe out carefully.

"Elway." Yugiri, noticing his confusion, made it clear. _With action._

Yugiri swiftly turned Elway's head with her hand, making him look at her as he blushed again.

She moved slightly forward, closing her eyes and placed her lips on the confused man's lips, as his eyes widened and understood the meaning of her words. And then he closed his eyes and kissed back.

The kiss wasn't tender, or soft. It was needy, rough and fierce. And incredibly warm, Elway noticed. Any snowflakes around them would melt or drift away. Yugiri deepened the kiss, pushing Elway further into the hard stone wall with their intertwined hands. The taste of her lips was divine, he decided, and pushed back into her lips with a light moan.

He noticed how chapped their lips were from the cold, dry weather as they kissed. He ran his free hand through Yugiri's hair softly and felt her gasp lightly against his lips. Elway placed a hand on her cheek, stroking it lightly with a few fingers as she pulled back, breathing heavily. He began breathing again as well, feeling light-headed.

"Yugiri," Elway whispered, hand still on her cheek. He stroked her cheek, and felt her scales for a moment before dropping his hand to take her other hand lightly. "How long have you…?"

"We'll talk about it another time." Yugiri stood up, blushing as she remembered her forwardness. She let go of Elway's hands, and instantly missed the warmth. "For now, we should return indoors. Or we might catch a cold." She looked away, to the door of the group's shared room.

"Ah, yes. Just let me…" Elway tried to stand up, but felt no response from his legs. It seemed exhaustion, as well as the kiss had finally caught up to him. "Um, sorry, it seems I've lost strength in my legs."

Yugiri let out a quiet "hm," before smirking devilishly, suddenly coming up with something.

"Yugiri? W-wait! Hey!"

 **Camp Dragonhead – Alphinaud**

Elway was missing, Alphinaud noticed as he woke up from a shout outside. Where did he go?

 _He didn't leave us, did he?_ The boy wondered in a panic.

"Alphinaud? What's wrong?" Tataru yawned as she noticed Alphinaud up.

Alphinaud rose from his bed, about to search for the missing man, before the door to their quarters opened. Alphinaud turned to the door, expecting Elway. He wasn't wrong, but he was still very surprised.

"This is embarrassing, Yugiri…" Elway whined.

"You'll have to bear it. You are to rest, now." Yugiri ordered amusedly.

Alphinaud didn't expect to see them together. But that wasn't the surprising part.

Yugiri was carrying Elway in her arms. In a bridal carry.

"Oh, hello Tataru, Alphinaud. There is a meal on the table, if you'd like." Yugiri stated matter-of-factly. As if she wasn't carrying a grown man like a bride.

Elway was covering his face with both of his hands, but that didn't do enough to hide how very, very red his face was.

Tataru squealed, and Alphinaud decided that he must still be dreaming. The Warrior of Light in a bridal carry. He laid back down. The Lalafell girl fainted, maybe from the sudden surprise, and the boy tried to sleep again, hearing Yugiri set Elway down onto his bed. He peeked over to see Yugiri lean down and kiss Elway as the man began to fall asleep, before she went off to her own bed in a confident stride.

 _Yugiri's acting like the dominant character in a romance novel._

Alphinaud really wanted to laugh at Elway right now, who seemed to be fighting a blush as he fell asleep.

It could wait til tomorrow.

 **Side Story 1 – The case of Elway falling**

 **A/N:** So, there's the first side story. A bit of angst from the end of 2.55 because I feel like the WoL didn't react very strongly in the cutscenes in-game, here was my take on his thoughts at the end. As well as the start of his and Yugiri's relationship! I've been reading a lot of romance manga lately, geez. Hopefully you were entertained. Next chapter, we're back onto the storyline in Remnant!

Please give some more feedback, see you soon!


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Hello again! Back on track with chapter 6. Hope you enjoy!

 **Chapter 6**

 **Maten Village – Jaune**

Jaune rose out of his bed with a hazy mind. As he remembered some of the events of last night, he bit his lip nervously. What right did he have to get angry at someone who only helped them so far? He sighed and began to get dressed, readying himself for the upcoming day. He heard a knock at the door, and took a quick look at Ren, who was still asleep. He opened the door quietly, not wanting to disturb his friend's rest.

"Hey Jaune, come look!" Ruby said with a giggle, pointing towards the lobby, seemingly forgetful of last night's event.

He followed her to the lobby and came upon the innkeeper, who held her finger to her lips in a "shhh" gesture. He followed their eyes to the fireplace, where he saw the pair of Elway and Yugiri.

Sleeping together under a blanket on the floor.

They slept on their sides, faces close and hands intertwined, with smiles on their faces. Jaune and Ruby laughed at the sight of Elway so comfortable, which caused the pair to stir in their sleep. Elway's eyes shot open first, confused until he looked up and saw Jaune and Ruby grinning at them. Ruby began to pull out her scroll to take a picture.

"Uh… hello." Elway greeted meekly, which caused Jaune and Ruby to grin at them even wider. Yugiri mumbled something nonsensical in her sleep, and instead of awakening, opted to grab onto Elway's waist in a hug. Elway blushed at this and panicked, trying to rouse her out of her sleep.

"Y-Yugiri, wake up." Elway shook her shoulder lightly. "Yugiri!" Jaune and Ruby began to laugh uncontrollably, now causing Yugiri to open her eyes. She instantly realized what she was doing with a reddened face, and let go quickly, putting her hands on her lap, kneeling on the floor now.

"Good morning, Ruby, Jaune." The woman said politely, as if nothing happened.

Elway just groaned and put his blushing face in his hand.

 **Maten Village – Elway**

"First off, please let me apologize. I was insensitive to your situation." Elway began, once everyone gathered in the lobby, awake.

"No, I should be sorry. I got angry too quickly about the whole thing, when I should be calmer about this. You did nothing wrong." Jaune retorted indignantly.

"I overstepped my bounds." Elway said matter-of-factly.

"You saved us and you're still looking after us. There shouldn't be bounds like that." Jaune countered.

"But she was important to you! I didn't mean to open old wounds."

"I'm not the only one who's lost anything, you ha-"

"Stopstopstop!" Ruby exclaimed, tired of the back-and-forth. Ren pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, and Nora groaned, placing her face on the table. Yugiri just smiled and shook her head before interjecting.

"Elway, don't feel responsible for the nuances of the Echo. And Jaune, you had the right to your anger. Elway should have known better than to bring up an example of his power like that." Yugiri flicked Elway's forehead softly, to which he let out a quiet "ow."

"Just agree that you _both_ are sorry, then we'll be ooooooookay!" Ruby said confidently.

Jaune sighed and relaxed his tense shoulders, and looked Elway in the eyes.

"I'm sorry." Jaune said simply, and Elway chuckled.

"I apologize as well." Elway shook Jaune's hand firmly, and the two grinned at each other, previous tension gone.

 **Maten Village – Elway**

The village chief had told them the bandits terrorizing Mistral were said to be nearby, and they should be careful. They were last spotted at an abandoned bridge to the west. He had warned them that the bandits were targeting those with strong weapons, but Elway felt a familiar sense of annoyance from that statement. That reminded him of someone.

"We'll be going then. Thanks for the stay at the inn, and the supplies!" Ruby waved with a bag of provisions on her back.

The group began to walk west, and Jaune jogged up to Elway, who was talking with Yugiri.

"Elway, I wanted to ask you something." Jaune said seriously.

"Of course, what is it?" Elway asked.

"I got interrupted, but I wanted to say… you've lost a lot, haven't you? You, and Yugiri." Jaune began nervously.

Elway stayed silent, and Yugiri answered for him.

"Yes. Elway especially. He's lost many friends already." She put her hand on Jaune's shoulder. "That's why he knows how you feel. About her." Yugiri looked to Elway.

"Again, I never meant to reopen old wounds. I just wanted you to know. Failure is unavoidable. But failure is what moves us to try again." Elway looked at Jaune, dark red eyes flowing with compassion. "For those we have lost."

"How do you keep trying, all the time? Ruby, too." Jaune gazed at Ruby enviously. He desired her strength to keep going, after he had lost a dear friend. Ruby had lost even more than he did, and yet she smiled radiantly. Jaune couldn't help but admire the younger girl.

"It is hard to put into words…" Elway looked down, mentally listing reasons he couldn't give up.

Hydaelyn needed him.

Eorzea needed him.

The Scions needed him.

He couldn't bear to lose anymore.

All of these made Elway think harder, until he was interrupted by Yugiri nudging him.

"If not your words, then how about _his?_ " She looked a bit somber, and Elway instantly knew who she was referring to.

"Ah. A friend of mine, who protected me at the cost of his life…" Elway smiled at his memory. Jaune looked down, aware that he had brought up a painful discussion. Haurchefant was always by Elway's side in Ishgard, never failing to cheer him and Alphinaud up. Without Haurchefant, Elway didn't know where he'd be. And his words rang clear in Elway's mind.

Elway smiled brightly at Jaune, and recounted _his_ mantra.

"Haurchefant said…

A knight lives to serve. To protect. To sacrifice. There is no greater calling." Elway said without missing a beat.

"But… I'm no knight. I don't think I am, anyways." Jaune said self-depreciatingly.

"The specifics matter not, Jaune." Elway responded. "What matters is that you understand that to serve and protect those you love should be able to keep you going. With a smile."

"Really? Is it that simple?" Jaune asked, with a bit of doubt in his voice.

"For me, and maybe for Ruby as well. You should fight for people. Not for causes, or countries." Elway said confidently.

"Well… how are you so strong about this? You seem happy to sacrifice yourself." Jaune stated, still a bit confused.

"Sacrifice is what makes heroes. And," Elway smiled again at Jaune, showing a cheerful grin.

"A smile better suits a hero."

That statement brought clarity to Jaune's mind. It made sense. He called himself a "Warrior of Light" last night. In his world, that must have meant that Elway really was…

A hero.

Jaune kept this to himself for now, and nodded at Elway, grinning back.

"Okay. I think I understand. Thanks, Elway, Yugiri!" Jaune caught up with the rest of Team RNJR, smiling brightly at Ruby. She was the one who Jaune thought looked the most like a hero, after all. Ruby smiled back just as brightly, punching him lightly on the arm.

"Well said, Elway. Haurchefant would be proud." Yugiri said to Elway happily.

"I would hope so." Elway smiled to the sky, feeling a little mellow remembering all of his memories of Haurchefant. They were interrupted, when Ruby signaled Elway and Yugiri to come over and see something.

"Guys, we found something!" Ruby called out.

 **Near Mistral – Ruby**

While she kept a somewhat positive face on, Ruby recognized what they had found. But something about this situation, only she knew.

It was a wounded man. Ren and Nora had already rushed to help him, and treat his wounds. So far, they seemed nonfatal. Slash marks, most likely from a sword. The only reason Ruby didn't find herself immediately worried, and passionate as she typically was, is because she recognized the man's clothing style. It was familiar. And he had a mask. Jaune put a hand on her shoulder.

"Something wrong, Ruby?" Jaune asked, concerned.

"Nothing. We should help." Ruby stated, uncharacteristically sternly. Jaune just nodded and went to the man's side.

She recognized the man's mask that lay by his side. A mask bearing a huge resemblance to Grimm. That meant this was _her_ bandit tribe.

Raven Branwen.

Ruby gritted her teeth.

 **Chapter 6 – A smile better suits a hero**

 **A/N:** Oh boy, cliffhangers. Hope you enjoyed! Next update may be "Side Story 2: The case of Yugiri," so expect that soon-ish. Thanks for reading!

To yiggdrasill, funny that you brought that up, I planned in advance to reference Haurchefant here. I think we all felt depressed when he died, he was such a great character. Thanks for the review!

And please leave some feedback with reviews, I'd love to hear more.


	8. Side Story 2

**A/N:** Hello readers! Wow, two updates in a day. This update is for "Side Story 2," which focuses a bit more on Yugiri. Much more lighthearted than the previous, but gives a bit of insight to the characters. Hope you enjoy!

To yiggdrasill: I have big plans for the coming interactions between the two, and Raven's role won't quite end in the first arc. Look forward to it!

Anyways, this side story takes place somewhere in between 2.2-2.5, where the Domans are already integrated into Eorzea fairly comfortably.

 **Side Story 2 – The Case of Yugiri**

 **Revenant's Toll - Yugiri**

There had been much more time to relax recently, with the Domans finally finding refuge in Eorzea. Their various talents were put to use wherever they could, more than earning their keep. Even so, Yugiri found herself without much to do. She had spent so much time making sure they could achieve this after all. Now that they had found a temporary home, she had an abundance of free time. She noticed the Doman children playing around the city, near the gates. She saw Rokka and Koharu running about, and Yozan and Shun holding up mock weapons and laughing. She was about to warn them to be careful, until she saw who they were with.

The Warrior of Light, Ser Elway.

She chose to stay in the shadows, and watch over them awhile. Elway was still in his Fighter's Armor, probably having just finished a task, however he held a wooden sword and was pretending to spar with Yozan. The young boy held up a sword and took a mock battle stance, resembling a Gladiator. He took clumsy swipes at Elway, who parried them easily. Yozan continued his clumsy assault until Elway dropped his guard and allowed himself to be struck. He gave out a cry of mock pain, and slumped to his knees, stating simply "I have been slain."

Yozan tried to pick up Elway, giving slight encouragements like, "you have to get up," and "no giving up!"

Yugiri giggled a bit loudly beneath her mask, and some of their heads turned to her.

"Lady Yugiri! Come join us, we're fighting Mister Elway!" Yozan shouted enthusiastically.

"They're doing a good job of it." Elway said while collapsed in his "playing dead" pose.

Yugiri let herself be dragged by the hand to the children, who began to talk about becoming adventurers and being like Elway, which Elway laughed a bit at. Elway got up and looked to Yugiri.

"The children are lively. Very much so." He grinned tiredly.

"Ah, I apologize for them Ser Elway, they ju-" Yugiri began, before being cut off.

"Elway. Just call me Elway. 'Ser' is a mite too stiff, don't you think?" Elway frowned a bit at her formality. "And it's fine, I just got back from a job from Rowena anyways."

"Then… Elway. Thank you for looking after the children." Yugiri smiled behind her mask, feeling more comfortable.

"That's better. Did you hear, they want to establish an Adventurer's Guild for Doma!" Elway was cut off by Shun, who pulled on the fur lining of his armor.

"Hey, Mister Elway, I just thought of something. Are you strong?" Shun asked inquisitively.

"Somewhat, I suppose. Why do you ask?" Elway responded, confused.

"Are you stronger than our Lady Yugiri?!" Yozan cut in as Shun protested, his line being taken.

"Couldn't say. I bet she is stronger than me, though." Elway grinned at the kids, who cheered at Yugiri.

"You guys should fight, with these!" Shun pulled the wooden sword out of the ground, and pulled a pair of wooden daggers out, gesturing for Yugiri to take them.

"No, no, I couldn't fight him." Yugiri shook her hands and her head, refusing profusely. It would be incredibly impolite to spar with someone who found a new home for them, she simply couldn't.

"Well, why not? It sounds fun." Elway looked at her, making eye contact through her mask. He gave her a wink, which confused her further.

 _I suppose he does want to fight..?_

Yugiri sighed and took the pair of wooden daggers, resigning herself to the children. Shun gave Elway the wooden sword, and he gave it a few swings before he took a proper Gladiator stance. The kids cheered, most of them cheering for Yugiri as she took her stance.

"Stay back, children!" Elway warned. The kids nodded and ran to a safe position, with Yozan standing a bit further up to signal the start of the spar.

"And… begin!" Yozan called out, moving his hand down as if cutting through an invisible barrier between the two.

Elway dashed forward enthusiastically, initiating the fight by taking a quick two-step swipe. A _Fast Blade._ Yugiri blocked the two swipes with her daggers before stepping back to assess the situation. Elway was doing the same, but looked ready to move again.

 _Those strikes were heavy,_ she noted, before charging in, spinning with her blades. The move forced Elway to block, holding the sword in an awkward position, before she finished off with a kick landing square on his chest, knocking him back. She continued her assault by flipping into the air and coming down foot first onto his head, but her leg was blocked. She slashed with her daggers downward, since his sword was caught blocking her foot, and she landed two clean hits on his shoulders.

Yugiri was forced back by the push of his blade, and this time he charged back in. He made a large, one-handed swipe at her side, but the blade was easily caught by her daggers. She didn't see him making a palm strike aimed at her other side however, and the wind was knocked out of her by the attack. Elway freed his sword and spun around, making an exaggerated slash at her neck. She brought up her daggers, but the strike never came. Instead, Elway feinted and changed the slash into a stab at her stomach, to which she avoided by vaulting over Elway.

Elway didn't let up, charging at her again using the sword with two hands, with a different stance, this time slashing at her hands with a _hard slash,_ one strike that swiped sideways and one slash that slashed upwards from that position _._ She naturally parried both stages of the attack, but he transitioned into a _spinning slash_ that she put up her guard to defend against, but her guard was broken through and she lost her balance, almost falling backwards.

Instead of continuing his assault, Elway gave her a smile. She vaguely understood his intention. The fight was over.

Elway made a slow and predictable overhead slash that Yugiri simply dodged to the side, and cut at his hands with one of her daggers. Elway stumbled back, losing his grip, and Yugiri sighed internally, slashing at his weapon to disarm him, thus ending the fight.

"Wow, that was amazing Lady Yugiri! You beat the Warrior of Light!" Koharu squealed, and the rest of the kids swarmed Yugiri. They began to chat endlessly about how strong she was, and how she should go on adventures with Elway. Yugiri sighed, externally this time, and tried to calm the kids down.

She noticed Elway wave at her, with another wink and smile. He walked away to the Rising Stones, already beginning to strip himself of his armor.

 _He threw the match. Quite obviously, at that._ She'd demand an explanation later. She just had to get away from the children for now.

 **The Rising Stones, Elway's Room**

Elway stepped out of the shower room with a satisfied exhale. It always felt good to be clean after a quest. He went to his personal room at the Stones to gather some clothes before he went out again.

He put on a pair of trousers as he pondered what he was to do for the rest of the day. He considered eating, since it was close to noon, and then he heard a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Elway asked.

"It is me, Yugiri," Elway saw the door open and panicked, noting that he was still not wearing a shirt. Or anything on the top half of his body, for that matter. "I've brought you someth-"

Yugiri stopped dead in her tracks with her package, seeing Elway attempt to cover himself. Her widened eyes ran over his toned (and still dripping) body, looking at the numerous scars he had gained as well as his well-defined musculature, drinking in every detail before she realized she was staring for a while. She look at Elway's face, which had a furious blush.

"My apologies." Yugiri said stoically."I brought something from the Domans. It's a gift." She laid down the parcel on his table, before turning away.

She slammed the door a bit too quickly, and found herself very, very glad that she was wearing a mask. She felt herself blush behind her mask, and hoped it wasn't too obvious.

Moments later, she heard the door open, with Elway dressed in his new gift.

It was a togi from the Far East, dyed in Elway's familiar and signature red color. It came with a pair of black trousers ( _that fit him very nicely_ , Yugiri noted). He wore a pair of simple black gloves and a pair of black sandals to complete the look.

"The outfit is very nice. Thank you, for bringing it." Elway looked down at the outfit, feeling comfortable in the material.

"I agree, it suits you very well." Yugiri smiled behind her mask.

"Well, would you like to join me for a meal?" Elway looked hopeful.

"Why not?" Yugiri replied, feeling hungry herself.

 **Rising Stones Main Area – Yugiri**

F'lhammin had provided the both of them with a hot meal, smiling as she did so. She was like a mother to the Scions, and the gesture rarely went unappreciated. Yugiri had to remove the bottom portion of her mask to eat however, revealing her pale skin. Elway was a bit curious, but didn't ask.

The two conversed as they ate, interested in each other and not really having had the chance to sit down and talk.

"You threw that match very obviously, you know." Yugiri chastised Elway, who shrugged.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Elway grinned.

"You're not a very good liar." Yugiri laughed. "Why _did_ you do that?"

"The children look up to you, you know. All the Domans do." Elway took on a bit more of a serious tone. "I wanted to show them how strong you were. That their faith in you is well-placed." Elway smiled at her warmly.

"Thank you…" Yugiri mumbled beneath her mask, at a loss for words. "I know they care for me, but you didn't need to go so far."

"Well, that wasn't all of it." Elway's smile turned to a devilish smirk. "The children needed someone else to bother. You were sort of a victim."

Yugiri let out an exaggerated gasp, which was followed by a laugh by both parties.

 _How long has it been since I have been able to relax like this?_ She thought to herself. She gazed at the person sitting across the table, laughing without a care in the world.

 _So this is the Warrior of Light. I envy him… but I admire him, as well._ Yugiri concluded.

"You envy me? Why?" Elway wondered. Yugiri silently cursed herself for thinking that statement out loud.

"It is just that… if the Domans had strength such as yours, maybe things would have turned out differently. You have so many strong comrades here, and you, yourself are a force even primals fear."

"Hozan said the same. But you know," Elway sighed, "I am not all that strong. Physical strength like mine is only good for fighting."

Elway continued, this time looking her in the eyes through her mask.

"I want strength like yours, actually." Elway said somberly. Yugiri was surprised at that.

"What do I have that you do not?" Yugiri asked, confused.

"Trust from all of the refugees. And the strength to look after them." Elway smiled wistfully, "They say that you labored day and night for them. Without asking anything in return. Even I have personal gains from all my battles." Elway shook his head, "but you are so selfless in your actions that it makes me certain, I want strength like yours. It is truly amazing." He reaffirmed.

Yugiri went silent. She fought the oncoming of a blush, since part of her face was exposed.

"You really are a hero, to say such kind words." Yugiri whispered. Elway chuckled and responded,

"I have a lot to learn. But I do have you, as an example to follow." Elway said with confidence.

Yugiri replaced her mask silently, done with her meal.

 _Me, a hero? Hardly. But when he says it…_

Yugiri looked back to Elway who gave her that same, warm smile. She felt her heart beat faster.

 _I am inclined to believe him. Oh, Yugiri…_

The Au Ra woman blushed under her mask, and bowed to Elway, a quick thanks. She walked out of the room quickly, needing a bit of time to think.

 _To fall for the hero of Eorzea. How cliché._

 **Side Story 2 – The case of Yugiri falling**

 **A/N:** And there we have it! This is more of a prequel to Side Story 1, which shows the start of Yugiri's romantic interest in Elway. More fluff, consider it the calm before the storm I guess. Next chapter the main story progresses! Hope you enjoyed!

And please, leave some feedback, lemme know how I did.


	9. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Hey readers, back with chapter 7. This would've been up earlier, but I got sick unexpectedly last week. The main story continues, we're inching closer to the climax of the first arc!

 **Chapter 7**

 **Near Mistral – Ren**

The wounded man had regained consciousness once his wounds were treated and bandaged by Elway. Elway used an odd looking liquid in a glass bottle he called a 'potion,' but they didn't have the time to discuss that at the moment. The moment the man regained consciousness, he looked around confused before realizing that the group was made up of Huntsmen. Or Huntsmen in training, anyways.

"Ya guys are Huntsmen, right? Thanks fer helpin' me out." The man said carefully. He ran a hand through his brown hair and scratched at his stubble. "Name's Rook."

"Good thing you're alright. What happened to you?" Jaune assured the man, kneeling down to eye level. "Was it the bandits in the area?"

Ruby huffed sardonically, an act that did not go unnoticed by Ren.

"Ruby, what's wrong?" Nora asked, concerned. She seemed incredibly standoffish compared to her usual demeanor.

"It was funny, that's all." Ruby glared at the man, knowing his true affiliation.

 _What did she mean by that?_ Ren wondered, but he guessed that Ruby knew more about the man than she was willing to say at the moment.

"Ha, uh… funny thing 'bout that. Truth be told, I'm one o' those 'bandits.'" Rook rubbed the back of his head, clearly nervous. They could easily take him into custody after all.

Jaune reeled back in surprise, and Ren's eyes narrowed.

 _The same bandits that have been making trouble for the surrounding villages. And the same bandits who ravaged Shion, leaving it to die from Grimm._ Ren grit his teeth at the thought. _And we helped him?_

Nora, sensing Ren's animosity, took Ren's hand in her own and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Ren looked down at her and gave her a weak smile, which she returned with a small smile and a nod.

"You people are responsible for a lot of suffering, you know." Ren said seriously, glaring into Rook's eyes.

"I know… I ain't proud of what we did, but now we're the ones in a bind." Rook returned his glare with an apologetic gaze. "We were attacked, recently. We had a…base, on a bridge to th' west. We used it for supplies, weapons n' such. But it got attacked by somethin' huge." Rook gestured to his wounds. "As ya see, it didn't end up pretty. I ran away ta get help from the main tribe, but not even our leader would stand a chance. Maybe ya Huntsmen could, though."

"You expect us to help you? A bandit?" Ruby asked coldly. Her gaze burned into the ground as her hands balled up, knuckles turning white.

"Please, I'm beggin' ya. It's yer duty to help those in need as Huntsmen, right?" Rook said a little too hopefully.

"Shut it! You don't know a THING about he-" Ruby was cut off by a hand on her shoulder from Jaune. He looked sadly into her eyes, which were starting to spill over with unshed tears, and shook his head slowly. Ren understood what the gesture meant. _Nothing will come of this._ Jaune spoke up, nodding at the bandit.

"Take us to your leader, then. We can talk about the details with her." Jaune stated harshly.

During the whole exchange, Elway looked on neutrally. Yugiri stood at Elway's side, arms crossed. She looked angry at the bandit, seeing the destruction wrought by the tribe, but kept her emotions in check.

 **Bandit's Home – Ruby**

The group followed Rook through a hidden village, filled to the brim with bandits. Although they looked normal enough, they were definitely bandits. Plundered goods stayed piled in a warehouse, drunk men and women made merry in a bar, and homes were marked with symbols akin to the Grimm. The group received careful looks from the bandits, some intrigued, some angry, and some sneered. Ruby was disgusted. _It really is her tribe._

"Here we are. Th' chief's abode." Rook stopped upon a house that looked like a shrine and knocked. The doors opened to reveal a woman in red robes and messy, long black hair. Her piercing red eyes looked directly at the wounded bandit. _Raven._ Ruby seethed.

"Rook. What happened at the bridge? We received no communication from you." Raven said in a monotone. She gave the rest of a group a once over, eyes widening ever so slightly upon making eye contact with Ruby. "I expect an explanation as to why you brought _them._ "

"I'll explain everythin', chief." Rook bowed apologetically.

 **-15 minutes later-**

"So in spite of our vow to seclusion, you've decided to bring Huntsmen. Fool." Raven looked at Rook disapprovingly. "You know that you are never to bring an outsider."

"I'm truly sorry, chief." Rook closed his eyes. "But there weren't any survivors except for me. We can't beat that monster alone."

Raven sighed, and looked to the group of outsiders.

"So, you heard him. Even I will not be enough for this battle. Will you help us, or not?" Raven said dryly.

"Why should we?" Ruby spoke, standing up. "We were sent here to _deal_ with you after all."

"I could care less if you helped us, _brat._ But if you threaten us, we'll kill you on the spot." Raven warned Ruby, challenging her gaze with narrowed red eyes.

"Try it!" Ruby said fiercely, hand reaching for Crescent Rose.

"RUBY! Enough, please!" Jaune reached out for Ruby's hand that was on Crescent Rose, but she shook it off.

"NO! This woman is behind the attacks on the villages!" Ruby cried out indignantly. "She abandoned Dad and Yang, why should WE help her?!" Ruby struck out in frustration, but her hand was caught calmly by Yugiri.

"Ruby. Now is not the time." Yugiri shook her head, and softly patted Ruby's back. "Let us find a peaceful resolution."

Elway sighed, walking up directly to Raven. Raven shuddered, sensing _something_ from the man. She instinctively reached for her sword, but decided against drawing it.

"You heard her. Your pasts aside," Elway gestured at Ruby, who was looking down and still being comforted by Yugiri, "The problem we have now is that you have been attacking peaceful villages. Why?" Raven relaxed, not sensing any hostile intent from Elway.

"We need resources. We have many to look after, and we can't afford to let our own go hungry." Raven declared simply.

"Even if others do? And die for it?" Elway countered, face still passive.

"Even still. The strong live." Raven stated, adamant. "We need…power. To make sure that we can protect what is ours." Raven recalled the relic they were still searching for.

"Very well. I'll offer you my assistance. With a condition." Elway replied stoically.

"Elway!" Ruby pleaded, voice sounding desperate.

"Let me finish. I will help your tribe. If you agree to make a treaty with Mistral and the active villages." Elway smirked at Raven, who began to show signs of annoyance.

"Tell me, why would I do such a thing? I just said that I didn't care if others died. The villages are no concern of mine, or my tribe." Raven fired back angrily.

"We could easily let this monster of ours raze your tribe to the ground. That base was important, was it not?" Elway went on, pacing around the room. "You need the supplies from it."

"Oh? And if we agree, who's going to stop us from just taking resources from the villages again?" Raven replied in a cocky manner. Ren raised a hand.

"A treaty of that nature is considered very serious." Ren glared at Raven. "Breach of the treaty would result in your tribe getting hunted down personally by Mistral military or militia."

"You don't honestly think we fear them, do you?" Raven laughed. " _Please._ If they were a problem, we would have stopped long ago."

"Well, it would bring attention to others. Maybe you'd get a fine bounty on that head of yours." Elway walked slowly even closer to Raven, making sure each step conveyed his intent. Raven suddenly felt very small in comparison to Elway, whose power radiated off of him. She felt something dark, _terrifying,_ sleeping in the man. His eyes flashed a bright red for just a moment. "You think you'd survive with so many after you constantly?Do _not_ presume that you will be able to stay safe forever."

Raven backed away, feeling fear for the first time in forever. Rook made a move to stand in front of Raven, but she held up a hand.

" _Fine._ " She breathed out hatefully. "But we will only agree to this after we have solved the problem. And we set out today." Raven attempted to calm herself, breathing deeply. "Rook, no one is to know that we are relying on outsiders. Act as if nothing has happened." Rook nodded back at her and quickly exited the room.

"Let's go. We need to get ready for the journey there." Jaune motioned to his team.

"Okay, Jaune. C'mon, Ren, Ruby! No moping here!" Nora patted both of their backs. Ren just nodded at her and walked out with Jaune.

Ruby, still next to Yugiri, spoke up once again.

"You better keep this promise Raven." Ruby scowled at Raven, who looked away. Ruby walked out along with Yugiri.

 **Bandit's Home - Raven**

"Not going to make preparations with the rest of them?" Raven asked Elway, who was now standing with his back turned to her.

"I wanted to make something clear. Without the children hearing." Elway spoke softly. "My power allows me to see the past. Of course, I've seen yours. What you've done to your family…"

Raven grit her teeth, and prepared herself for a lecture about so many things she has already heard.

"I understand how Ruby felt." Raven groaned internally as Elway continued. "But I also understand how you feel. It is not an easy task, to be a leader, even harder to leave so much behind to do so. I know you didn't leave them in vain." Raven was a little surprised at that. He really could see people's past.

"That's why, do not fail Ruby this time. Honor this agreement." Elway warned, recalling his visions of Ruby with the Echo. "The girl has lost enough. You are technically family to her too, and while she feels betrayed on behalf of her sister, she hopes that one day you will make amends."

Raven clicked her tongue in annoyance, knowing that she would most likely be unable to return.

"And I forgot to mention one thing. If you don't honor this agreement,"

Elway turned his head back, looking Raven in the eye. Elway's eyes flashed bright red again, and a dark aura spilled out of him for just a moment.

"If you go back on your word and prove yourself to be as wicked as you seem… I'll cut you down like swine, you arrogant sack of _shite._ "

 **Chapter 7 – A (peaceful?) resolution**

 **A/N:** Villainous Elway, yay! Since there's a lot of mystery still surrounding Raven, I made up a lot here. I actually think she's a real asshole because of the way she ignored Yang after she lost her arm, but I don't think she hates her family. Just has different priorities. I did cast her in an antagonistic light here though, haha. Also angry Ruby! I dunno how she'd react to Raven, but I can only think she'd feel angry on behalf of Yang. Who knows, though.

Anyways, lemme know what you thought with a review, see you next time!


	10. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Hey, readers! For anyone wondering why Elway was so harsh last chapter, reasons will be detailed in a later side story. That won't be until further down the line though, at least until the first arc is over.

To yiggdrasill: Thanks for the review as always! And I agree completely, she clearly cares for Yang in some form, but her actions don't convey that well. Her morals may not be perfect, but I would like to see more about the character.

 **Chapter 8**

 **Bandit's Home – Elway**

"You do not have to accompany us. My agreement did not include your team."

"No, Elway. We said we'd help take care of the bandits, and this is doing that in some way."

After having his private discussion with Raven, Elway walked out and saw team RNJR preparing to head out. Jaune assured him that Elway would not do this alone. To be honest, he didn't want them involved. He sensed something odd about the situation. Yugiri, sensing his concern nodded at him, and he nodded back hesitantly.

"Suit yourselves. I trust that you are ready for another risky battle." Elway said in a serious tone.

"We are." Ruby stood in front of him, looking sullen.

The door opened, and the group's attention was drawn to Raven, mask on and sword at her side.

"So according to Rook, the monster that attacked the bridge was massive and humanoid, dressed in red. He held an odd sword as well." Raven advised, voice stiff. The group, sans Elway, nodded.

Elway cursed in his mind. He knew something was off. And he had a guess as to who the 'monster' was.

"Alright then, let's move." Raven led the way, motioning the others to follow.

 **Road to the bridge – Elway**

Raven strutted ahead of the group, clearly still bothered. Team RNJR conversed among themselves, Ruby having since recovered and more or less back to her usual self. They discussed possible strategy, which Yugiri listened to with mild interest. Elway, however, was lost in thought.

"Stop." Raven signaled, seeing something ahead.

In the clearing, the first thing Elway saw was white feathers. He followed the wings to see green skin, and a mane of orange. Elway's breath hitched.

The group raised their weapons, preparing themselves for a fight. The beast turned around, and jumped in surprised, lifting itself into the air with its wings. It expanded its wings, before making contact with one of the members of the group.

His eyes were fierce, and his axe, Bravura was already drawn. His face was twisted in a frown.

"Enkidu." Elway snarled.

The beast drew back in fear, and turned around, running away from the group.

 _Damn, it's as I thought._ Elway thought, sheathing his axe again. _I can't let him run free. I have to…_

"What was THAT, Elway?!" Jaune cried out, still surprised.

"I'd like an explanation too. If that beast had to do with the attack on the bridge…" Raven seethed, hand on her sword still.

"It may have. I need to go after it. Enkidu is dangerous." Elway looked to the direction Enkidu flew off, mentally marking the spot where he saw Enkidu disappear from sight.

"Elway, there is too much unknown about the situation. Do not be hasty." Yugiri advised, although she was slightly worried at the prospect of a primal in Remnant.

"A primal. This world may have its dangers, but we do not know if they are equipped to deal with one of ours." Elway took Yugiri's hand softly. "Yugiri. Please look after them. Don't let them run headfirst into danger. If Enkidu's companion is the one behind the bridge attack, do not let them engage." Elway looked seriously into her eyes, pleading.

"Okay. I promise to protect them. Come back safely then, Elway." Yugiri stroked the back of his hand with her thumb.

"I trust you. And I will." The two nodded at each other, before Elway sprinted off in the direction of Enkidu with a rumble.

"Yugiri, what's happening?" Ruby asked, still worried.

"Something related to us. If our suspicions are correct, I would suggest not engaging the foe we encounter at the bridge." Yugiri warned, and while Team RNJR nodded, Raven tsk'd to herself.

 **Near the Bridge – Elway**

"ENKIDU! Get back here!" Elway shouted at the green monster that flew above his head. He was slowly gaining on the primal, it seemed to be slowing down.

Elway saw Enkidu's clawed feet drop down, and Elway jumped up to grab at them. Enkidu hissed woefully, as if to say "don't kill me," so Elway drew his axe instead of attacking Enkidu immediately.

"You'll tell me what your purpose here is. _Now."_ Elway threatened, and Enkidu nodded meekly, understanding. Enkidu made nonsensical gestures with its hands, and pointed to Elway's forehead.

 _Is it trying to tell me to use the Echo…? May as well try._ Elway nodded, and attempted to activate the Echo. To his surprise, it worked out. His vision grew hazy, and his head felt heavy as he began to see Enkidu's memories.

 _Never thought I would be able to use the Echo like this…_

He saw Enkidu being re-summoned by Gilgamesh, the two companions joyously reuniting and celebrating. He felt himself grow a little exasperated at how much they rejoiced, but continued to watch. The vision seemed to move forward a few days, when Gilgamesh was approached by a man in black, wearing a red mask. _An Ascian... Damn._

The Ascian in question told Gilgamesh of a sword.

"The strongest of swords?" Gilgamesh asked dumbly.

The Ascian just nodded with a wicked smile, and Gilgamesh followed him. Elway's heart dropped at where he was led.

 _Urth's Fount. Hell's bells, the sword he was talking about… Zantetsuken?!_

Gilgamesh gladly came upon the sword, and staggered upon drawing it from the ground. He seemed to still be in his right mind, for now. The Ascian told Gilgamesh he knew of a land with even more weapons, and there would be the perfect test for his new blade. His self-proclaimed rival. The Warrior of Light.

The Ascian opened a portal, and Elway instantly recognized the world to be Remnant. At this point Enkidu warned Gilgamesh wordlessly that the sword seemed dangerous, but Gilgamesh uncharacteristically shook Enkidu off. _The sword was beginning to corrupt his mind. It had more than enough time to gather aether at Urth's Fount, and soon Gilgamesh would turn into Odin._

Gilgamesh walked through the portal, and the Ascian laughed. Enkidu, worried, followed Gilgamesh into the portal and the vision ended.

 _That was a longer vision than usual… how long?_

Elway's vision cleared, and he saw Enkidu in a prostrating position. Clearly asking for help with Gilgamesh.

"Enkidu. How long was I using the Echo?" Elway asked, suddenly concerned.

Enkidu held up a single clawed finger.

"A minute?" Enkidu shook its head, and made a big motion with its hand.

"An HOUR?!" Elway shouted, now realizing the gravity of the situation. Enkidu nodded and backed off, scared. "Enkidu. Take me to where he is. Take me to Gilgamesh."

"We're going to stop your stupid friend."

 **Anima Bridge – Raven**

When the group happened upon the bridge, the scene was gruesome to say the least. Blood spattered across the brick foundations, and bodies lay still around the structure of the bridge. Storehouses for supplies lay wide open, weapons being scattered across. Ruby choked back a sob at the sight. Jaune patted her back, and Ren and Nora scouted the area for possible survivors.

Raven and Yugiri joined Ren and Nora, seething. These were her men and women. Her _family._ Slaughtered without mercy.

 _That bastard had better keep his end of the bargain…_ Raven glowered, until a huge figure made itself known. It was clad in red, and towered above everyone else, absolutely massive in stature. It wore a cloak that covered most of its face and body, only revealing a glowing white eye and a single, gray left arm that held a massive curved sword.

Raven sensed the power that the figure held. But she didn't care.

He killed her family.

Raven screamed in rage and drew her sword, charging directly at the huge swordsman. Yugiri made a move to stop her, but she was too late. Raven was too far ahead.

"What are you doing?!" Ruby shouted, but her words fell on deaf ears.

Raven slashed at the figure's chest, but felt nothing sever. The figure grunted and swiped at Raven, who brought her sword up to defend herself. She was blown back from the sheer force, but charged back in again. She sheathed her sword and prepared an attack, quickly drawing it with a thunderous combination of slashes and cuts. She felt the attacks rend flesh and grinned, but the figure was only angered, and threw off the left portion of its cloak. It revealed 3 more massive arms, to a grand total of 4.

She was grabbed by one of the arms and slashed with the massive sword, her Aura absorbing most of the force but still making her cry out in pain. She was tackled by something red, and felt herself being dragged back to the rest of the group.

"Stupid! How could you just jump in like that alone?!" Ruby cried, already drawing Crescent Rose and preparing to fight.

"These are my _people_ that he killed. I don't recall needing your permission to take revenge!" Raven shouted back.

"You can't do this alone. Let's go team!" Jaune waved to Team RNJR and Yugiri, and they held their weapons at the ready.

Yugiri was worried, however. She knew of Zantetsuken, and realized that this was a fight that they couldn't win. Gilgamesh, along with the might of Odin…

But even so, she made a vow to protect them to him. So she would.

"We must buy time for Elway. This man's name is Gilgamesh. Do not underestimate him, and do not take any risks." Yugiri warned them, and team RNJR nodded. Raven grimaced at his name, and the figure in red charged at them.

It took one grand horizontal slash, which Jaune stood at the front of the group and blocked with his shield. He staggered under the weight of the attack, and his legs buckled under him. Yugiri and Ren dashed to each side of the figure and did a quick combination of slashes that caused Gilgamesh to reel. Nora jumped into the sky and brought Magnhild down, but the hammer met his blade and was stopped in its tracks. Gilgamesh punched at her and sent her flying to the ground, but was again interrupted by the combination of Yugiri and Ren attacking. Gilgamesh did a spinning slash which made contact with the two fighters, sending them back.

Ruby fired rounds at Gilgamesh from a distance, garnering his attention while Raven sheathed her sword and prepared another attack. She released a flurry of strikes on his unarmed side, none breaking flesh. She attacked again with a roar, but she was blocked by his massive blade, and subsequently slashed on the shoulder by the blade. This time, her aura could only absorb so much damage and was broken. She felt a gash on her shoulder, and clutched the wound.

She heard a few sniper rounds, and saw a flash of petals before Gilgamesh staggered back. Ruby charged at Gilgamesh, gathering momentum and spinning with Crescent Rose, coming down in a slash onto Gilgamesh's previous wound that Raven gave him. He roared in response, and Ruby attacked at his arm. Her scythe was parried, and she flew back and fell down. Gilgamesh stabbed ferociously at Ruby, and the girl closed her eyes, preparing to get wounded.

She heard the blade make contact, but didn't feel any pain. She heard a grunt of pain from someone else. She opened her eyes slowly, and noticed a figure in purple standing in front of her, arms spread out in a protective gesture, impaled on Gilgamesh's sword.

Jaune came around with a shout, his sword now combined, and slashed upwards at Gilgamesh's sword arm, making the arm flinch in pain and draw back, releasing Yugiri from the sword.

"YUGIRI! Why?!" Ruby cried, catching the Au Ra woman's body before it could hit the ground painfully.

"He asked me… to look after you. 'Tis only natural." Yugiri said painfully, as if it was obvious. "Do not worry about me. I have lived through worse. Fight on."

"But… but!" Ruby stuttered, trying to find a way to help. She was interrupted by another roar from Gilgamesh, who cast off his cloak and revealed… 4 more arms.

Oh no.

Each of those arms held a different weapon.

One of those was a hugely extended nodachi, that was even taller than Gilgamesh in length.

One was a broadsword with a golden and extravagantly decorated guard, and a sleek brown blade and white edges.

Another was a naginata with a red handle, even longer than the nodachi.

The last was a blue curved sword, that gave off the same aura as his main sword.

Ruby gulped. It was trouble enough dealing with just one sword.

"On second thought, get back. Get to safety. NOW!" Yugiri warned, looking at something distant.

Ruby followed her eyes and saw the same green, winged creature and something red hanging from the creature's feet. The red figure pointed at Gilgamesh, and let go. Elway?

He plummeted towards the ground at breakneck speeds, drawing his axe as he did so. Ruby made a motion to the rest of the team and Raven to get back. She heard a roar, and saw a series of orange orbs surround him and be absorbed, bringing _Deliverance._ His roar grew louder as he got closer to the ground, clearly aiming for Gilgamesh. Ruby used her semblance to get her and Yugiri back, away from the impact point.

His axe made contact with the ground near Gilgamesh and a huge shockwave struck the area, _Decimating_ his surroundings and creating a cloud of debris. The huge cloud of debris cleared from the carnage, revealing Elway standing calmly with his axe drawn. Instead of his usual clothing, he stood in an armor unfamiliar to Ruby. It was black and red in color, made up of a combination of leather and plates. It had fur linings, making Ruby think of a beast. She wondered how he changed so quickly, but the thought was cut short by the sight of Gilgamesh still standing, albeit wounded from the attack. He roared, readying his weapons.

Ruby heard a chuckle from Yugiri.

"What an entrance, _hero."_ Yugiri said softly.

 **Chapter 8 – His Rival, the Hero**

 **A/N:** Oh boy. Got a long fight scene ahead of us. I had hinted slightly in previous chapters about Greg's presence in Remnant, but wanted to keep it a bit of a surprise. Gilgamesh is wearing his FF8 attire, if anyone wants a better reference, as well as using his weapons from Dissidia, sans a couple. And Elway finally appears in his Warrior armor! Originally this chapter was split up into two, but I shortened some parts and combined them.


	11. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Hey readers! The fight between Elway and Gilgamesh/Odin begins! Next update may not be out for a while, got a busy spring break coming up.

To yiggdrasill: Yes, I tried to make the implication pretty heavy handed there. There'll be more on that in the future, promise. The "poetic justice" that Raven got a piece of was fully intended as well, although, to be fair, who in her tribe could've predicted Gilgamesh?

Anyways, here we go!

 **Chapter 9**

 **Anima Bridge – Ruby**

Ruby watched Elway's figure in awe, completely taken off guard by how much power he exerted in that attack. Gilgamesh staggered, readying another assault.

 _Yugiri said hero… he must really be a hero in his world! What else could do something like that?! That was crazy!_

Ruby readied her weapon to join Elway, but she was stopped by a voice.

"Is Yugiri okay?" Elway asked.

"She's hurt, but she says she's fine." Ruby replied, Crescent Rose at the ready. Elway tossed a bottle to Ruby, which she clumsily caught with her free hand.

"Get back. Use that on her. It's an elixir." Elway ordered. Ruby examined the bottle, a bright red liquid contained in it.

"But Elway! We can fight too!" Ruby argued. Jaune, Nora and Ren nodded as well. Raven stepped forward, as if to challenge Elway's judgement.

"Not another _step._ " Elway's voice thundered. "I know you can fight. But it isn't that simple. What's about to happen is two _monsters_ trying to slaughter each other. You will get caught in the crossfire, so to speak. So please, stay back. Get Yugiri to safety for now."

Ruby opened her mouth to protest, but shook her head and silently agreed. Raven grimaced, and turned back, clearly still furious. Ruby slung Yugiri's arm through her shoulder, and ran far back.

"Thank you, Yugiri... for protecting them." Elway whispered, barely enough for Ruby to hear. Yugiri closed her eyes and whispered,

"Anything for you." Yugiri smiled gently, and Ruby handed her the elixir. Yugiri drank slowly, and sat down, leaning on a nearby tree.

 **Anima Bridge – Elway**

"Gilgamesh. If you have any of your senses left, you had better regain control soon." Elway warned. "I'll kill you if you don't."

Gilgamesh charged at Elway, thrusting his naginata at Elway's unguarded face. Elway tilted his head to dodge, and saw the nodachi slashing at his feet. He swung Bravura one handed to his left to deflect the blade, and used the opportunity to slam the shaft of the axe into Gilgamesh, hearing a _fracture_ of bone and flesh.

Elway snarled, not giving Gilgamesh an opportunity to rest, and took a _Heavy Swing_ at Gilgamesh's face, and grinned when he made contact, seeing the swordsman's face snap around. He followed up with a two-step technique that attacked both of Gilgamesh's sides, not allowing him to counter and _Maim_ ing his unequipped arms.

Gilgamesh roared, and took an overhead swing at Elway with Zantetsuken and the nodachi, which Elway raised Bravura to block. Sparks flew as their weapons crashed, and Elway was about to attack again until he felt a sharp pain run through his stomach, interrupting his counterattack. Gilgamesh had run him through with his naginata, piercing Elway's armor.

 _Damn. This many weapons is a challenge._

Gilgamesh slashed at Elway with the golden broadsword, aiming to decapitate him. Elway coughed blood briefly, until he brought up his knee to the naginata he was still impaled on and shattered the shaft of the weapon. Elway threw off Zantetsuken and the nodachi with Bravura, sending Gilgamesh back but not interrupting his attack. Elway roared and prepared himself for the hit, a bright shield covering him. The blade collided with Elway, but he shook the pain off and kicked swiftly with a _Vengeance_ at Gilgamesh's core, stunning him for a second. Elway used a free hand to pull out the blade of the naginata from his stomach, grunting in pain as he did so.

 _Ugh. One weapon down._

Blood spilled onto to brick floor of the bridge, the sight angering Elway. He raised his axe and a red aura surrounded him, showing his _Bloodlust._ Elway took a _defiant_ stance, and ran at Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh took a swipe at Elway's shoulder with the blue curved sword and Zantetsuken, but Elway ducked under, using his smaller stature to his advantage and unleashed a powerful uppercut using his axe, releasing part of his _Inner Beast._ Elway felt his wounds mend slightly, and he grinned at the red swordsman.

Gilgamesh only resumed his attack, grabbing Elway by the waist. Elway struggled to break free, but was stunned by the pommel of Zantetsuken being smashed into his face repeatedly. The swordsman gripped the nodachi tightly and cut at Elway, but he was blown away by a bright orange sphere surrounding Elway. Now _Infuriated,_ Elway spun around, as if at the _Storm's Eye_ before raising his axe overhead and slamming it down onto Gilgamesh. The swordsman barely had time to bring up the nodachi to block, but it was shattered in the process, letting Bravura connect with Gilgamesh's chest and sundering his flesh. Gilgamesh grunted and grasped at his wound, bleeding profusely.

 _That's two,_ Elway thought to himself.

Gilgamesh bellowed, and used the broadsword to slash at Bravura, but only earned a deadlock of their weapons in the process. Gilgamesh roared, and used the blue curved sword to cut down at Elway's shoulder, penetrating the armor and giving Elway a gash. Elway grunted, and noted something strange about the weapon.

 _That blue sword, it's giving off the same aura as the primal Zantetsuken… Another one?_

 _Speaking of Zantetsuken…_

Gilgamesh slashed Elway's legs using the primal sword, and earned another cut onto Elway's armor. Elway gave out a cry of pain and began to spin around ,gathering centrifugal force. He used _Steel Cyclone_ without holding back _,_ blowing Gilgamesh back and severely wounding the arm holding the broadsword. Elway dropped down, sluggishly using Bravura as support. His wounds were catching up to him.

Gilgamesh charged at Elway again, swiping with Zantetsuken at Elway's arm. Elway charged forward into Gilgamesh, interrupting his momentum and narrowly dodging the blade. Gilgamesh made to grab at Elway, but Elway spun around and aimed a _Brutal Swing_ at Gilgamesh's wounded arm, making him drop the broadsword. He kicked the weapon away before the swordsman could recover the weapon.

"Three." Elway breathed out painfully.

From there, the battle became a bloody slugfest.

Every attack Elway made was met with a counter of equal ferocity.

Elway viciously swung at Gilgamesh's shoulder, which the swordsman received, gaining a massive wound. Gilgamesh swung back just as ferociously with the blue Zantetsuken, injuring Elway's left arm on his wrist.

Elway swiped at both of Gilgamesh's legs with Bravura, causing the giant to crumple, but Gilgamesh used both of his weapons to quickly stab at Elway. The Warrior could only narrowly dodge, both blades grazing him as he did so.

As he dodged, he swung Bravura directly at Gilgamesh's chest, deepening previous wounds. Gilgamesh roared and returned to Elway in kind, impaling him again, only this time with Zantetsuken. Elway screamed in pain as he slammed Bravura's pommel into Gilgamesh's eye, making the giant fall backwards, taking Zantetsuken out of Elway.

Elway didn't miss this chance and rushed Gilgamesh.

He took a _Heavy Swing_ at the grounded Gilgamesh. He brought his axe down, in a _Skull Sunder,_ rending the blue Zantetsuken in two.

"Four."

Finally, he slashed down, did an uppercut with his axe and gave a battle cry and slammed down with his Bravura onto Gilgamesh. _Butcher's Block._

Bravura met Zantetsuken as Gilgamesh defended himself, but Elway, still grievously wounded was blown back by Gilgamesh's and Zantetsuken's combined might.

Gilgamesh got up wordlessly and took a stance with Zantetsuken at the ready. Elway sensed aether radiating off the sword in waves, and realized what was about to happen.

 _Shin-Zantetsuken._

If that attack went through, the entire area would be cut in two. He didn't have any time left to waste. Elway struggled to stand, using Bravura as support again. Pieces of his broken armor fell off him and Elway roared.

"DAMN YOU!" Elway's eyes glowed a beastly red, as he screamed into the sky. He lost control of his senses as he went _Berserk._

Gilgamesh was about to use the attack. He drew the blade back as Elway ran forward.

Both of the fighters gave out a beastly roar.

Suddenly, Elway was surrounded by orange orbs that were absorbed into him again. _Deliverance._

Elway raised Bravura as 3 giant sawblades made from Elway's aether, almost as large as the man himself, gathered around Elway, and he struck at Gilgamesh.

All 3 blades struck alongside Bravura, ripping asunder as Gilgamesh's attack was unleashed.

Elway saw black, and the streak of the blade ran across his vision.

 **Chapter 9 – Fell Cleave**

 **A/N:** Heyyyy, cliffhangers again! And we finally see Elway use one of the most well-known Warrior abilities, Fell Cleave! Not a lot of other characters in this, but there'll be some of that in next chapter.

See you next time, please leave some feedback as well!


	12. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Heya, back again! The first arc nears the end, at the moment I haven't played Patch 3.56 yet, but I'm looking forward to the last stuff before Stormblood.

To MaxHD2490: Thanks for the review, and I'm glad you thought so! I'm still trying to get a feel for fight scenes, so it's good to know it felt intense.

 **Chapter 10**

 **Anima Bridge – Jaune**

The towers of the bridge collapsed under the force of the two attacks, creating a massive shockwave that resounded through the area. The group couldn't see into the rubble that crashed around the two fighters, and Ruby became worried.

"Elway!" Ruby shouted, waiting for a response. She was met with none, and used her semblance to dash back towards the bridge, Jaune reaching out to stop her but only grasping petals.

"It's too dangerous, come back!" Jaune called, but Ruby was already focused on scanning the ruined area. Jaune let out a frustrated groan and looked back to the group. Yugiri, now standing, patted Jaune's shoulder.

"It is okay. The fight is over." Yugiri smiled calmly. Jaune sighed, half relieved and half anxious.

 _It's good that it's over… but that was incredible. So Elway was even stronger than we thought._ Jaune shook his head and his thoughts away, and called out for Ren and Nora to help them search the ruin.

 **Anima Bridge – Elway**

Elway woke up with a jump. He instantly regretted the action and his hands went to his numerous wounds. He felt his armor in tatters, noting that it would be a pain to repair. He located Bravura close by and placed the axe comfortably on his back.

He observed his surroundings. From what it seemed, the bridge was destroyed from the final clash between him and Gilgamesh. Which reminded him…

He stopped Shin-Zantetsuken in the middle of the attack, so the damage was limited to the area. Elway looked to the spot he last remembered Gilgamesh, and sighed in relief.

There lay Zantetsuken, shattered in multiple pieces. Soon, it would dissipate into aether. At least, he hoped that it would. Normally trying to destroy the primal sword wouldn't have worked so smoothly, but since it was so far separated from its home in the Black Shroud, it likely couldn't function well enough without the aether of the area. It would also explain why Gilgamesh wasn't sooner turned into Odin.

"Elway!" The warrior turned at the sound of his name, but only saw collapsed towers of the bridge impeding his vision. He tsk'd at the sight and looked for any open areas to climb through. He heard the flapping of wings and remembered that Enkidu was still around. Then, the sound of rumbling laughter came from under the debris.

"Haha… GWAH HA HA!" A flash of red burst from underneath the rubble, making Elway sigh and pinch at the bridge of his nose. "GREETINGS! It is I, GILGAMESH! Wait, OW!" The huge red swordsman did a grandiose pose at Elway, but doubled over in pain in the process, which Elway could only deadpan at.

"Ugh. Hello, Gilgamesh." Elway waved lightly. "You've caused a lot of trouble you know." He gestured to the surrounding area, and then to the shattered primal sword that lay on the ground.

"Ah, yes! I remember acquiring that! Seeing as how it is now broken, it must be far from the strongest of swords!" Gilgamesh put his hands on his hips, before noticing Enkidu flying near. "My loyal companion! I knew you would come!" Enkidu made a happy gesture, spinning around and lowering itself to Gilgamesh's level.

"Do you even realize wh-" Elway stopped his sentence, deciding that it wasn't worth it. "Ah, it doesn't matter right now. You were possessed, or something of the sort. You were lucky that my target was the sword for the final attack, you know."

"Ah, then I must thank you for saving me!" Gilgamesh shouted boisterously despite Elway looking like he was about to protest. "Enkidu, if you would!" Enkidu raised its wings and a _White Wind_ surrounded both Elway and Gilgamesh, restoring some of their wounds. Gilgamesh bounced up, happy with the result. "HAHA! Good as new!"

"Would you stop _shouting?_ Maybe I should've killed you after all…" Elway grimaced as he rubbed his temples. "That aside, you should probably leave quickly. The group I was with may have had an… unfavorable encounter with you."

"What could you mean? Now that we are both in our right minds, we MUST duel!" Gilgamesh pulled out the golden broadsword from the rubble. "You are my rival, after all! Why, you might even be stronger than Bar-"

Gilgamesh was cut off by Elway swiftly rushing him and landing a punch square in his gut. He doubled over dumbly before being knocked back by a kick to his jaw.

"Damn it, Gilgamesh. I warned you, didn't I?" Elway cracked his knuckles. "Now hurry, please?"

"Guh! That was cheating!" Elway groaned in response, not wanting to bring up Gilgamesh's past streak of unfairness in a fight. "But fine! We shall withdraw for now, Enkidu!"

Gilgamesh planted his feet into the ground, springing up in a huge _Jump_ that Enkidu followed, breaking past the debris and making the already crumbled ruin fall apart even more, revealing the area in full. Elway covered his eyes at the setting sun suddenly assaulting his eyes, and saw Gilgamesh in the distance falling from his jump into the water, Enkidu frantically chasing after him.

"Damned idiot." Elway chuckled. He turned to see Ruby rushing over to him, the rest of Team RNJR and Yugiri in tow. He smiled at the sight of Ruby and Nora jumping happily, Jaune and Ren sighing in genuine relief, looking as if a weight was lifted from them and Yugiri smiling brightly at him.

"Well hello." Elway waved slightly at the group.

"You did all that alone… Truly impressive." Ren bowed his head at Elway, who nodded with a smile.

"Elway, that was amazing! You never said you could summon _chainsaws!"_ Nora shouted giddily. Elway laughed a bit and rubbed the back of his neck.

"She's right, have you been holding out on us?" Jaune nudged Elway slightly. Elway shrugged while rolling his eyes at Jaune mirthfully.

"We're so glad you're okay!" Ruby cried out, hugging Elway. He patted the top of her head softly in response. She let go, and Elway staggered a bit. He fell onto Yugiri, who was at his side in an instant.

"Do you need some help?" Yugiri asked with a giggle. Elway closed his eyes and sighed happily.

"Of course. Thank you for that." Elway leaned a bit onto Yugiri comfortably. She placed a hand on his chest and then he felt something soft on his lips, and blushed intensely upon realizing that Yugiri was kissing him. He opened his eyes slightly when she drew back, slightly panicked to the sight of Team RNJR grinning at the sight, as well as Yugiri giving him a satisfied smile. He opened his mouth to protest, but shook his head in a defeated manner. Their moment was interrupted by a fuming voice.

"Enough of this." Raven cut in with a growl. "I saw what happened. You let him get away!"

"Now now, please calm yourself." Elway held up a patient hand. "I have my reasons."

"I don't care!" Raven spat. "You didn't fulfill the agreement! I wanted that thing DEAD!" Raven pointed her sword at Elway, but Team RNJR stood in front of him defensively.

"Back off, Raven. It's over." Ruby warned, gripping Crescent Rose tightly. She drew back when Elway placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"No, actually. I did honor our agreement." Elway said. "I said I would help your village. Not kill the cause of the situation."

"Bullshit. Don't try to worm your way out of this. You knew each other!" Raven seethed, but her sword dropped to her side. "He killed my people. Why did you let him get away?!"

"Listen carefully." Elway said seriously. "He wasn't in control of his senses. While he is regularly relatively harmless, and held back by his own idiocy, Gilgamesh was possessed by _that._ As you can see, it no longer poses a threat." Elway pointed to the broken Zantetsuken. "I won't take his life for something he couldn't control."

Raven's hands balled into fists, knuckles turning white. Many of the bodies of her tribe were likely buried under the debris of the bridge now. They had lost so many.

"The weak die, and the strong live…" Raven whispered to herself. She turned around angrily, storming away from the bridge. "Come on then. Let's return to the tribe. We'll discuss the arrangements for the agreement then."

Elway nodded silently, and Ruby sighed in relief, tension leaving her body. The group followed after Raven, exhausted but victorious.

 **Anima Bridge - ?**

A figure in black sneered at the sight of the group leaving the bridge.

If only that damned Gilgamesh could have finished off the Warrior of Light. It was to be expected that he had lost, though. The figure planned to step in after the Warrior of Light was wounded and kill him personally, but that damned Enkidu had healed most of his wounds. Meddlesome monsters. The figure thought upon the nature of this world, Remnant.

 _Worthless_ , came to mind when the figure thought of the people in this world. From what he observed, none of them even came close to the prowess of the Warrior of Light. That was good, however. It made the job much easier. However, the girl with silver eyes showed some signs of a power unseen. She would need to be observed more closely, then. Along with that damned servant of Hydaelyn.

It was in the nature of Ascians to snuff of the light, after all.

 **Chapter 10 – Exhausted but victorious**

 **A/N:** And so the final large confrontation of the first arc ends, along with the Ascian behind the curtains to make an appearance (sort of). Hope you enjoyed, next chapter will probably be a conclusion sort of chapter followed by some side stories. Planning out the second arc currently! See you next time, and please leave a review, I love seeing feedback on the story.


	13. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Hey readers! Just finished up patch 3.56, and while it didn't have the raw impact that 2.55 did, _wow._ I won't spoil anything yet in the story, but a lot of things surprised me (Gosetsu being one, haha). And the new outfit, dang. The story at the moment is before 3.56, but those events will be included and talked about later. Anyways, hope you enjoy.

To MaxHD2490: Thanks for the review! Of course, there are things they couldn't imagine in Eorzea. Pretty dangerous world if you ask me. Ifrit is pretty small potatoes compared to some other foes Elway has faced, but I won't leave anything out of possibility. After all, _he_ doesn't necessarily need to be the one facing him.

 **Chapter 11**

 **Bandit's Home – Elway**

Despite having agreed to arrange the treaty, the group had nearly collapsed of exhaustion upon arriving back to the village. Raven had them placed in a temporary lodging, which was unused at the moment. Once again, Ruby and Nora were assigned one room, Jaune and Ren the next, and Elway and Yugiri the last room. All of Team RNJR had fallen asleep instantly, but Elway and Yugiri stayed up a bit to discuss something.

"We need to talk, Elway." Yugiri said, motioning him to sit down on the bed.

"Is it what I suspect?" Elway sat down close by, now stripped of his armor and in his usual red robes, listening intently.

"Most likely. Alphinaud contacted me recently through my linkpearl." Yugiri looked into his eyes seriously. "Soon… we must return."

"Of course. I predicted this, honestly." Elway gave her a sad but knowing smile. His hands trembled slightly. "I couldn't run forever. Not from what I have to do. And not from what we've lost."

Yugiri simply laid a hand on his trembling ones, calming him down. His eyes met hers as he slowly nodded.

"I know. I mustn't hesitate now." Elway said softly but resolutely. "We'll go to Eorzea soon."

"Elway… don't push yourself." Yugiri replied in a worried tone.

"You're the same, aren't you? I know you have worries that the path you've taken may not be the best. I know you have doubts…"

"But that doesn't matter. I may have my doubts every now and then, but this is where I stand now. I don't regret what I've done. And you shouldn't either." Yugiri assured Elway.

"I won't. I promise you." Elway looked down at his free hand, now clutched into a fist. "It's just a shame this adventure couldn't have lasted a bit longer, I suppose."

"It's not over." Yugiri stated adamantly. "You'll return someday, I'm sure." Elway laughed a bit in response.

"Then would you come with me?" Elway held her hand, and leaned closer.

"Maybe. If circumstances allow it." Yugiri smirked and leaned forward, taking Elway's lips in a swift and smooth motion. Elway returned the kiss passionately, noticing that Yugiri was pulling at the hem of his clothing. He blushed a deep red, understanding the meaning of the gesture. He broke the kiss slowly and pulled off his robe, revealing his bare chest. Yugiri pressed her lips against his again, hands circling around Elway in an embrace as she ran her hands down his bare back, Elway shivering at her touch.

Yugiri pushed him down onto the bed, her gaze filled with desire.

Elway reached up to cup her cheek with a gentle hand.

"You make me so happy."

 **Bandit's Home, Next morning – Elway**

Elway rose calmly as he woke up, but hid his face in his hands upon remembering the events of last night, his face instantly turning red. It certainly wasn't their first time, but he had always been embarrassed about their more _intimate_ moments. He looked to his side to see Yugiri sleeping peacefully, her bare form somewhat covered by their shared sheets. He smiled at the sight and pulled up the sheets so that her body was fully covered. His hands went to a few markings made by her last night on his neck and blushed again as he heard a knock at the door.

Elway quickly put on his togi and trousers and opened to door to Team RNJR and Raven awaiting them a bit impatiently. Apparently, it looks like they had overslept.

"My apologies, I'll get us ready."

Elway quickly shut the door to the confused eyes examining the room, still a little embarrassed. Elway shook Yugiri slightly to wake her and passed her clothing to her. Yugiri said a quick thanks and relieved herself of the sheets, exposing her nude form and causing Elway to panic and turn around, furiously blushing. Yugiri giggled at Elway acting so shy and quickly got dressed. She passed by and opened the door and greeted the waiting group.

"Let's get started, shall we?"

 **Maten Village – Ruby**

The treaty discussion went through pretty quickly, in Ruby's opinion. Raven had solemnly agreed to make a treaty both with the villages and with Mistral to not attack and pillage any of the peaceful villages.

In short, they had agreed to become a legal village under the kingdom of Mistral. While no one expected them to be accepted right away, that being one of Raven's major concerns, the village could contribute a great deal to the kingdom. Ruby had contacted the pilots that Qrow went with, and they promised that the headmaster of Haven Academy would come personally to meet Raven and discuss the treaty there. For Ruby, she was just glad that Raven had just agreed to stop raiding villages and for the most part be peaceful. The treaty would be put into motion at a later date, so for now Raven and Team RNJR had decided to part ways, their temporary agreement now fulfilled. Raven went with Team RNJR to discuss the treaty with the head of Maten Village, and the discussion smoothed out relatively easily. Raven was about to leave for her village, but she stopped by Ruby and asked her for a conversation in private.

"What do you want?" Ruby asked, genuinely curious. There was a hint of animosity in her voice, but she put her distaste for Raven aside.

"I wanted to say… I know that you can't trust me." Raven sighed, as if saying something unpleasant. "But I have my own responsibilities to my people. I can't turn my back on them. You can trust me for the agreement. But that's not it."

"Is it about our family?" Ruby whispered quietly.

"Yes. I can't say in full why I left the way I did. I have my reasons, but I do care about Yang. Honest. Circumstances are just difficult." Raven stated. "I don't expect you to understand. I just needed to explain myself, for some reason."

"What's the reason, then?" Ruby said.

"I don't know. Maybe you remind me of her."

"Mom?"

"Maybe." Raven finished quietly, turning away. "I'll see you around, Ruby. And I'm sorry things turned out the way they did."

"See you, Raven."

Ruby was left with more questions than answers. But she didn't worry about it for now. Raven stopped in her tracks, turning around slightly.

"And about that adventurer. Elway, was it? Be careful around him." Raven warned. "He's hiding his power."

Ruby didn't know what she meant. Elway was already insanely strong, from what she saw. Was there really more to him? He seemed just like a hero to her, maybe there was truth to that. She'd ask Jaune about it later, she decided. All she offered Raven was a careful nod as the woman walked away.

A few moments passed and Ruby pulled out her scroll, suddenly feeling a bit melancholy. She pulled up a picture of Team RWBY in their first year, and wondered how they were doing. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to see Elway standing over her with an inquisitive gaze.

"Is something the matter, Ruby?" Elway asked, concerned.

"No, I was just remembering my other team…" Ruby said wistfully.

"You miss them dearly?"

"Mhmm."

"What are they like?" Elway motioned for her to sit down next to him on the grass. Ruby moved her scroll a bit so that Elway could see the picture. Ruby first pointed to a girl with pale features.

"Well the girl with white hair is Weiss. She's my partner, and she's really, really smart! Her grades were always the best. She was kinda mean when we first met, but now she really cares about us, even if she doesn't show it. She's also the heiress to a big company, that deals in Dust." Ruby giggled, remembering their first meeting. "She went back to Atlas, but I know I'll see her again."

"And her?" Elway pointed to Blake in the picture.

"She's Blake! She's my sister's partner, and she really loves books. She's really quiet sometimes, sorta like Yugiri. She's got a rough childhood, but I'm glad we could meet her. I think she gets lonely sometimes, so we wanna be there for her. She went missing some time ago though…" Ruby looked down, a little disappointed. "She has her own battles to fight. I understand."

"And… that's your sister, correct?" Elway pointed at the girl who looked so much like Raven.

"Yeah. I miss Yang a lot. She's amazing, honestly. She's super strong, and she makes friends really easy. I'm happy we got to go to school together, even if it was only for a while. I left her behind, to journey to Mistral." Ruby whispered. "I feel awful… but Yang needs to sort things out by herself. When I left, she was going through a lot. I know she can get through it."

Elway thought over all of this. She cared for her team a lot. And it seems like they all had their own problems to sort out.

"You really love them, don't you?" Elway asked with a smile.

"Of course!" Ruby pumped her fist. "And I gotta get stronger so that when they come back, they'll see how cool I am!"

"I don't doubt it at all." Elway grinned. "I'd offer to teach you myself, but there's something important I have to say. Could you gather the others?"

"No problem!"

 **Maten Village – Elway**

"Hey, Elway, we're about to head to Mistral. Are you ready?" Jaune came up to Elway, along with the rest of Team RNJR. Yugiri came out alongside them.

"I'm afraid that's what I called you here for." Elway said seriously.

"What do you mean by that?" Ruby asked.

"I mean that we have to return. Yugiri and I."

Team RNJR drew back, surprised.

"To your world? Why?" Ren said, concerned.

"I'm needed there. It might be for a while."

"But… I mean…" Ruby stuttered, at a loss for words. "You wanted to adventure, right?"

"Yes. I still have much of Remnant to explore, you know." Elway smiled, and put a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "It's not forever you know. I'll be back someday. And I'll come see all of you then."

Team RNJR still looked unsure and a bit hurt.

"Nora, never lose your energy. You're stronger than you think, you know. Keep watch over Ren, also." Elway smiled at Nora, who nodded a bit more surely at him.

"Ren, I'm glad that you've come face to face with your demons. And you even conquered them. Remember that vengeance's consequences don't only harm you." Elway reached his hand out to Ren, who took it in a grateful handshake.

"Jaune, remember what I said to you. Keep your head high as well, and protect your friends always." Jaune smiled at Elway, remembering Haurchefant's words.

"Ruby. You are destined for greatness. There's no doubt there. But just because that's the case, that doesn't mean you must take the weight of the world on your shoulders. Rely on others, and you'll see those limits broken." Ruby hugged Elway, which he returned with a small laugh.

Jaune sighed, but looked up and smiled at Elway and Yugiri.

"Alright. We understand." Jaune asserted, nodding at the two. "You guys have your own stuff to do, and we shouldn't keep you from that."

"I'm truly sorry it was so sudden, everyone." Yugiri bowed.

"How will you get back?" Ren asked.

"The portal we came through should still be active. We'll use that." Elway answered.

"Then… this is goodbye, for now." Ruby said somberly.

"More like a 'see you later,' Ruby." Elway assured her. "We'll be taking our leave, okay? We need to be there soon. See you soon, Ruby, Jaune, Ren and Nora. It was a pleasure."

"Same to you, Elway." Jaune lightly punched his arm.

"It better be real soon, okay?" Nora jokingly threatened.

"Stay safe, you two." Ren bowed to them with a smile.

"I'm gonna miss you guys a lot! Come back soon!" Ruby shouted, a tear threatening to spill out.

Elway and Yugiri headed in the direction of Kuroyuri, Team RNJR still silent. Until they heard an ear-piercing shout.

"ELWAY! YUGIRI!" The members of Team RNJR were waving their hands at the two with wide smiles. "Thanks for everything! SEE YOU LATER!"

Elway stifled a laugh at the boisterous group, and Yugiri smiled and waved back. They'd see each other again soon. He just knew it.

 **Near Kuroyuri - Elway**

Later, when they reached the portal near Kuroyuri, Yugiri noticed Elway looking depressed.

"You are going to miss them as well." Yugiri stated, clearly seeing the cause.

"Obviously. I wish I could have taught them more. Helped them along their way." Elway looked to the sky wistfully. "They're just children after all."

"They will be fine. They're strong. And so will you. But now, Eorzea needs its hero again. Come on, Elway."

She took his hand in hers, stepping forward, and Elway nodded at her with a beaming smile.

"I know. Let's go, Yugiri. Another adventure awaits."

Elway and Yugiri stepped through the portal, fingers intertwined.

 **Chapter 11 – See you later**

 **A/N:** And there's the conclusion to the first arc! Not quite groundbreaking, but I definitely hope you liked it. I'll probably have myself a small break to deal with University, but the next few updates will likely be side stories anyways.

Also, yes, Elway and Yugiri did the _do._ If it wasn't obvious, they're both pretty used to it, haha.

Please leave a review, friends! I really enjoy seeing them!


	14. Side Story 3

**A/N:** Heya readers! This update is for Side Story 3. Hope you enjoy! Fair warning, the side stories following this one will most likely be based on the events of 3.56. I'll certainly remind you guys again though. There are 2 more side stories after this one planned, and then the second arc will begin.

To yiggdrasill: Yeah, the story's far from over. I had planned a longer break, which was why the last chapter seemed fairly conclusive.

This side story is based on the end of the last chapter.

 **Side Story 3 – A certain obsession**

 **On the way to Mistral – Ruby**

It had been about a day since they parted ways with Elway and Yugiri. Ruby was lost in thought while team RNJR was taking a break, sitting on the ground. Jaune came up to her, curious.

"Ruby, what's up? You okay?" Jaune questioned kindly.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I was just wondering about Elway and Yugiri." Ruby said. "It's just that he said they needed to leave quickly or something."

"Yeah, looked important." Jaune replied, sitting down alongside Ruby.

"Well, how are they gonna get back quickly then? It took us a while to just get to Maten, and we're only just getting to Mistral." Ruby hmm'd to herself. "Sure, we were helping out on random requests from villages now and then, killing Grimm and stuff. But even straight back to Kuroyuri, that's a pretty long way."

"Huh. You're right. I hope they make it, but I'm pretty sure that's at least 3 days on foot."

The two were interrupted by someone clearing their throat behind them. They turned around to see Nora standing up with her hands on her hips, a wide grin plastered on her face.

"Allow me to explain!" Nora said gleefully. "It's easy, they just got a ride!"

"Uh, from what?" Jaune asked, perplexed.

"Of course, an Ursa!" Nora's grin didn't leave her face. Ruby laughed loudly at the thought.

"I think that's too crazy, Nora." Ruby replied.

"Hey, it's not impossible, right?! I did it before!" Nora pointed a thumb at herself proudly. "How else are they gonna get somewhere short notice?"

"Most people don't have ideas like that, Nora." Ren appeared, ruffling Nora's hair from behind. "I'm sure they're a bit more levelheaded than that."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

 **Road to Kuroyuri – Yugiri**

"No, Elway." Yugiri sighed exasperatedly.

"Come on, Yugiri! Let's just try it." Elway begged, pointing to something behind him.

Yugiri followed his point to the Ursa they had recently incapacitated. She groaned at his pleading once again.

"It is simply too dangerous." Yugiri advised sternly.

"Oh, it's at least somewhat safe! I've rode on a bear before!" He wasn't wrong, per se. Elway earned himself a warbear as a mount at some point.

"This is _technically_ not a bear." Elway pouted at her response.

"It's close enough."

Yugiri pinched the bridge of her nose, already feeling tired of the argument. Elway had a vast collection of mounts back in Eorzea. Where he got all of them, she'd never know. From obese chocobos to gobbues and legendary birds, even dragons and mythical horses. Gods, she didn't even know where he kept them. Maybe it was a secret better off untold.

"Please, Yugiri?" Elway pleaded once more, his red eyes brightening at the thought of obtaining a new mount.

"Ugh. Fine, as you wish." Yugiri conceded. "But you'll have to find a…"

Elway was already turned to face the bearlike creature and pulled a saddle from nowhere, almost perfectly fitting the Ursa's head. She noticed there was room for two on this saddle.

 _Oh no._

"Elway, I will not ride on the Ursa with you."

"W -WHAT?!" Elway shouted a bit loudly for her tastes. "But this opportunity might not come again! And we need to get back to Eorzea quickly, right?"

"I don't quite share your lack of self-preservation." Yugiri answered wearily. She wondered why she didn't just bring a chocobo with her and avoid this situation completely.

"Oh, you praise me too much…" Elway blushed, ignorant to her exhaustion of the situation.

"That wasn't a compliment."

Yugiri weighed her options. On one hand, she could probably convince Elway to just leave the Ursa well alone and get back on the road. However, she knew just how stubborn the man was, and it would probably take a long while.

On the other hand, if she just agreed to riding the Ursa, there might be even more danger involved. Like running into other Grimm, or Huntsman assuming the worst of them. It would, however, be favorable to walking. Maybe.

Elway patted the free spot on the saddle behind him excitedly, nodding at Yugiri with a big grin on his face. Yugiri sighed and climbed onto the Ursa.

"Just this once, then."

 **Road to Kuroyuri – Elway**

Elway laughed giddily. Now normally, there shouldn't have been a way to command the Grimm exactly where to go. But there were scarcely any normal things about Elway. He possessed something that most didn't.

 _The Echo._

Grimm weren't like any of the beastmen tribes he had encountered, but there was a possibility of communication between them.

He turned around and grinned at Yugiri, who looked like she was about to sigh again. He mentally and physically shouted,

"Hya!" Elway dug his heels into the Grimm, who woke up with a start. It looked like it was about to try and shake off the two riders, but Elway sternly shook his head and issued a mental command to calm down. The Ursa lowered its stance and put itself into a neutral position. Elway gave a thumbs up to Yugiri, who resisted an urge to smack him on the head. She had a suspicion that he just used the Echo to tame the beast and groaned at the thought of a heroic power being used for his obsession with mounting unnatural beasts.

"Have … have you been using the Echo to…?"

Elway whistled as if he didn't hear her in response, beginning to sweat guiltily. He dug his heels into the side of the Ursa's head, signaling it to go back onto the road towards Kuroyuri.

"Whatever could you mean?" Elway asked nervously. Yugiri sighed, her shoulders dropping in defeat.

"You've been using the Echo to gain more mounts." Yugiri deadpanned, feeling the onset of a headache.

"N-No!" Elway denied unconvincingly. "I would never do such a thing, I'm more responsible than that!"

"Responsible?" Yugiri smirked. "I wouldn't call someone who voluntarily rides a murderous beast _responsible._ "

"But it's fun!" Elway argued childishly.

"Ah, never mind." Her fatigue gave way and she leaned forward onto Elway. "Awaken me when we arrive, please."

Elway nodded as Yugiri fell asleep, and mentally commanded the Ursa to begin running faster. He crossed his arms with a grin as the Grimm ran forward.

 **Side Story 3 – A certain obsession (With mounts)**

 **A/N:** And there's Side Story 3, a bit shorter this time but I hope you enjoyed! The real power of the echo is mount collecting, everyone. Admittedly, this one comes from my habit of wanting every mount I see. Also, since Nora has rode on an Ursa before it wasn't too hard to imagine. Elway's just got better control of the thing. His arm crossing at the end is the Midlander pose for riding the warbear, by the way. Anyways, next side story will be up soon. There definitely will be spoilers for 3.56, so I suggest playing through that first if you haven't.

And please leave a review, I wanna know what you thought!


	15. Side Story 4

**A/N:** Hey guys, been excited to get this chapter out for a while now. Hope you enjoy!

To yiggdrasill: Thanks for the review! Very true, last chapter was just one of Elway's odd hobbies so look forward to more.

This side story takes place after the events of 3.56, so be warned! Spoilers ahead for those who haven't played/seen the main scenario up to this patch. Also, angst ahead!

 **Side Story 4 – Stay with me**

 **The Rising Stones – Alphinaud**

Alphinaud walked into the main area of the Rising Stones, with a representative of the Flames from General Raubahn.

"Ahem. Any Scions who aren't occupied, we would ask for your assistance." The representative said, bowing as he did so. "The battles at Baelsar's Wall have grown too fierce, and we desperately need more manpower, if only to reduce the number of casualties suffered. We must force a retreat from the Garleans, I beg of you."

A number of people made a move, including Hoary Boulder and Higiri. However, the room soon grew tense as a single man in red stood up, walking over slowly to the representative. He stopped in front of the man with a nod.

"I'll help."

"No, we could not ask even more of y-" The representative was cut off by the man's hand on his shoulder.

"It's fine."

The man walked out silently, eyes cast downward.

"Ser Alphinaud, are you sure that he is okay with this?" The representative questioned the boy. Alphinaud looked bitter for a moment before nodding affirmatively.

"Elway will be fine."

It was true, of course. There was no way that Elway could not turn the tide of the battle and take the Wall. But that wasn't what worried Alphinaud. Ever since a week ago, Elway had been throwing himself into every request and mission that was offered. He rarely, if at all, came back to sleep or eat. Elway going on yet another mission wasn't the problem, but the fact that he took every single one.

Alphinaud sighed sadly, seeing off the representative to return with Elway. He knew exactly why the Warrior was throwing himself into so much danger. Anyone who was close to him _would_ know.

Ever since that last week, when Omega and Shinryu had clashed and Lyse had revealed herself, Yugiri had gone missing.

 **Baelsar's Wall – Elway**

Elway checked his gear, having changed his clothes into a somewhat more battle-friendly attire. He wore Tataru's gift to him, what she had dubbed the Scion Adventurer's set. He dyed the coat in his signature red, as well as dying the shoes black, all to better suit his tastes. He pulled on his Hyuran Gloves and made sure Bravura was neatly on his back.

It was a simple task. The Garleans had released multiple Armored Weapons upon the Eorzean Alliance, but the current manpower wasn't enough to rout the Garlean's magitek weaponry completely. Elway counted 2 at the moment, from his position. He sighed and signaled to the Flames representative that he was going in. The representative looked shocked for a moment, and would have probably told him to wait if he wasn't already in motion.

He charged with a roar at the Armored Weapons, Bravura already drawn. An explosion went off behind Elway, causing him to turn around and see a Magitek Predator ambushing the Eorzean forces, and subsequently charge at him.

 _Bring it on, then._

 _It's not my time to die._

 **Rising Stones – Elway**

"You absolute fool!"

Alisaie shouted at Elway, currently being healed by Y'shtola.

He had sustained some injuries after the battle. Damned Armored Weapons had deployed the Dynamic Sensory Jammer while the Magitek Predator attacked him with a Magitek Claw, damaging Elway a fair amount. He still defeated all of the magitek weaponry regardless, but came back to the Rising Stones bleeding profusely. He'd been rushed by the twins, who brought him directly to Y'shtola. He put a hand on his now-damaged jacket. He could repair it later.

"Are you even listening?!" Alisaie drew his attention again. He nodded his head apologetically.

"She is right. You have been far too reckless lately." Y'shtola added, still focusing on healing his wounds.

"It's fine. I assure you." Elway replied quietly.

"What part of this is fine? The part where you get injured constantly? That part where you throw yourself at every new request given to you without thinking?" The young girl attempted to calm down. "Please understand, we're all worried."

"Don't be concerned. Please." Elway grit his teeth, knowing where the conversation was headed. He felt his wounds disappear, looking to Y'shtola for confirmation.

"It's done." Y'shtola nodded at him.

"My thanks." Elway nodded back, and Y'shtola left Elway at the mercy of Alisaie.

"Elway. I know why you're doing this to yourself." Alisaie gazed at Elway solemnly.

"Alisaie, stop." Elway pleaded softly, not wanting to discuss the issue.

"It's plain as day, you know."

"I know it is. But there's nothing I can do about it now."

"You could start by not trying to kill yourself." Alisaie advised.

"That's not the point of it all." Elway sighed somberly. "It's just easier to manage this way."

Alisaie shook her head. Yugiri meant a lot to Elway, that much was obvious. She understood why the woman had left, as well. She must have went with Gosetsu to Doma, but no one had any clues as to how they were getting there. It was her home, though, and no one thought less of her for it. The only real complication was that she left without saying anything. Not even to the refugees. Not even to Elway.

She understood, and sympathized with Elway. He had lost so much, in his time. Yet even more was taken from him. She wished there was a way to repay him, especially after all he had done for her family. For her grandfather.

She held back her tears upon remembering Louisoix, and looked back at Elway, who was silently staring off at nothing.

"I won't tell you to stop, Elway." Alisaie grabbed his attention again. "But take better care of yourself. If only for her sake."

"Very well." Elway cast his eyes downward. "And thank you."

Elway returned to his room after he had been healed, and got to work on repairing his clothing. He would have felt awful if he had destroyed his gift from Tataru so soon, after all. He numbly worked on the damaged jacket, mindlessly mending the fabric. He felt his eyes grow heavy and tried to force them open. His body didn't listen and soon he felt himself drifting off.

 **Elway's Room - ?**

Late at night, a figure slipped into Elway's room through the unlocked door. The figure silently stepped in and adjusted her mask. She noticed Elway sleeping on his desk, a new, red jacket around his shoulders. The figure smiled and clutched a long, covered package, intending to leave it at his side and then leave the room.

The package made a noise when she moved it, and Elway stirred. The figure panicked, which caused Elway to awaken. His eyes opened groggily and his eyes instantly went to her.

"Yugiri…"

 **Elway's Room – Elway**

Elway was at a loss for words, the surprise having woken him up completely. His emotions were mixed, and he was unsure of himself. He was happy, yet angry. Hesitation clutched at his heart, and he was beginning to think that this was a dream. It had been a while since he'd slept properly, anyways.

"Is it really you?" He asked anxiously. Yugiri looked guilty before answering.

"Yes."

"What are you doing here?" Elway went straight to the point.

Yugiri's breath hitched. She couldn't hesitate now. Yet, she felt so unconfident under his serious gaze. Elway sighed and continued.

"You were supposed to be gone, right?" Elway's voice trembled more than he would've liked to admit. "You… have to return to Doma."

"Elway, I-," Yugiri was cut off by Elway suddenly standing up.

"Why?! We thought you were gone, and yet…"

"The preparations for our journey are finished … so I came to see you." Yugiri said adamantly. "Before we leave in earnest."

"You shouldn't have bothered." He replied coldly. He tried his best to put up a brave front. He thought she was already gone. He was ill-prepared to see her again. All of his insecurities came back to the front of his mind regarding her.

"Maybe not. It was a moment of selfishness." Yugiri clutched the package meant for Elway tightly.

The two stood in silence, gazing into each other's eyes. Elway's gaze went from a hard, cold glare to a lonely one. Yugiri went from stoic to apologetic. They came closer together, stepping towards one another carefully. Yugiri reached out for his hand, taking it gently in hers. Elway was the first to break the stare as his shoulders dropped.

"Truthfully, I was afraid. You said nothing, and just left. While no one was looking. I missed you so much." Elway's grip tightened weakly. "I understand, of course. Doma needs you. I just didn't think it would be so soon."

"I did not think the Scions required me any longer. I hope that I have repaid my debt. Any goodbyes would have been… unnecessary." Yugiri shook her head.

"You didn't consider how we felt. How _I_ felt. To see a friend leave you so suddenly is painful. I'm not strong enough to let you go that easily." Elway closed his eyes. "I know that feeling well."

"I am sorry." Yugiri's voice resounded, forcing Elway to look at her again. "I didn't consider your feelings. But I am honor-bound by our master… No hesitation will be allowed any longer on my part."

"I know." Elway smiled sadly, the feeling unfamiliar. "You have duties that you must attend to. I was selfish as well, so I must apologize. The first I thought, when I realized you left, was that I wanted you to stay with me. But that isn't fair. You and I have people that depend on us. So I took on as much as I could."

Yugiri reached up to touch the still-marred jacket on Elway.

"And so you threw yourself into danger."

"True. But it was all I could manage to forget about it." Elway replied. "All sorts of uncertainties came all at once. I thought, maybe you were unhappy. Maybe you were overburdened. Maybe you didn't love me."

"Elway. The days I spent with you were the happiest I'd seen. I was never overburdened, rather I did not want to burden you with my personal affairs."

Elway opened his mouth to reply that he already promised to help with Doma, but he was cut off by Yugiri swiftly smashing her lips against his. She broke the kiss just as quickly, looking into his tired eyes.

"And I truly love you. That won't change."

Elway felt himself swoon. He was happy beyond belief. His eyes brightened.

"Just for a moment. Would you stay with me?" Elway requested innocently, feeling timid.

"It would be my pleasure."

The couple had spent the next hour simply sitting on the bed next to each other, talking about their past week as if nothing had happened. Yugiri spoke about the situation in Doma and how preparations were going smoothly, Cid had already agreed to ferry them to a safe area close to Doma. Elway talked about the countless missions he went on to begin the liberation of Ala Mhigo, and how it has been keeping him busy. Yugiri pointed out that the jacket looked nice on him, and Elway joked that he didn't exactly take good care of Tataru's present. The conversation went back and forth, until it died down and Elway leaned wordlessly onto Yugiri's shoulder. Soon, the sun began to rise and peek through Elway's window.

"It is almost time." Yugiri pointed out softly.

"I know."

"Elway, before I leave, there's something for you." Yugiri pulled the long package from the ground, and held it in her lap. She uncovered it to reveal a weapon for him. "It is a katana from Doma. I know that you do not know how to use it, but it was the only thing I could think to leave to you."

Elway received it carefully, unsheathing the sword carefully. The sleek, steel blade reflected the light that poured into the room, shining brilliantly. He was awestruck by its beauty, and promptly resheathed the weapon, the sound pleasant to his ears.

"It's amazing. Thank you." He mentally noted to learn how to use it soon, but then remembered something, and quickly got up to his armory chest.

"I have something to give you as well."

He pulled out a bracelet. Admittedly acquired from his journey into Dun Scaith, it was made using materials from the Allagan Weapon, Proto Ultima. He had asked Slimthix to make the bracelet with enhancements to dexterity, for her.

He placed the bracelet into Yugiri's hand.

"I planned to give it to you when I would find you in Doma, but I'm glad I could give it to you now."

Yugiri examined the bracelet in her hand, admiring the beauty of the bracelet. Power emanated from it, signaling that Elway had intended the bracelet to protect her. She put it around her wrist carefully with a smile.

"It is more than I deserve. Thank you." Yugiri suddenly felt melancholy at their parting. Elway shook his head.

"No, thank you. For everything you've done for us." Elway leaned in to kiss her softly. "And for being with me."

"Of course." Yugiri hugged him tightly. "If… when, you come to Doma… I will be waiting."

The couple stood in the doorway, holding hands.

"What is it that they said?" Yugiri pondered out loud. "See you later?"

Elway nodded his head, reluctant to let go.

"Then… see you later, Elway."

"See you later, Yugiri."

Yugiri released her grip gently, and leaned forward to kiss Elway ever so faintly, the action overwhelming him. Her lips only barely touched his, but the act felt heartbreaking with their parting. Yugiri turned around with a somber wave, as she melded into the shadows, hiding herself as she left.

Elway hands turned to fists, clutching the katana and once again finding his strength. He stifled his tears. A single thought went through his mind.

 _Wait for me, Yugiri._

Only a small distance away, Yugiri resolutely walked forward, not looking back. She put a hand on the bracelet around her wrist. A single thought went through her mind.

 _I'll be waiting, Elway._

 **Side Story 4 –** Stay with me **/ Wait for me**

 **A/N:** More angst for everyone. Also, Elway's switched to the Scion Adventurer's set, I'll update the picture soon. It will definitely feel more at home in Remnant, so that will be his outfit for the second arc. A lot to talk about in this chapter, can't wait to go to Doma after we finish up in Ala Mhigo. Yugiri leaving wasn't super surprising, and I saw it as an opportunity to write some more juicy angst. For now, her time in the main story is over (at least until Stormblood). Also SAM coming up in Stormblood, which I will definitely try. Elway may be using the class later in the story, but I haven't decided. I feel like Yugiri would be happy to see the WoL using the class of her home. Anyways, the next side story will likely be the last until the start of the second arc. I haven't quite decided between the two options of the side story, but I'll get it figured out.

Hope you enjoyed, and please review, I'd love to hear more from the readers.


	16. Side Story 5

**A/N:** Hey readers, back with our last side story before the second arc. There will be a break so I can properly outline at least the first couple chapters of the second arc, so I apologize in advance.

Anyways, this side story takes place a few days after Side Story 4. Again, spoilers for the 3.56 scenario!

 **Side Story 5 – Teach me how to cook!**

 **The Rising Stones – Higiri**

The Hyuran girl didn't quite know what to make of this situation. The Warrior of Light was in front of her and F'lhaminn, bowing his head humbly. He called the two of them here for something he said was important, and _this_ is what happens?

Elway wanted to learn how to cook. From her and F'lhaminn.

"Uh… isn't there a Culinarian's Guild in Limsa Lominsa? Why can't you go there to learn?" Higiri questioned the man whose head was still bowed. His head shot up quickly, the action startling her.

"For some reason they keep chasing me out." Elway said simply. This statement set off several red flags about the situation, which caused Higiri to back away slowly.

"Oh my! How cruel of them, to turn away a student!" F'lhaminn spoke up, voice brimming with concern. Although in this case, it really could've been pity. Higiri couldn't tell.

"That is why you are the only ones I can turn to! Please, teach me how to cook!" Elway bowed again, voice booming throughout the Stones.

"Of course! I would be ashamed to turn you down." F'lhaminn said, bowing slightly to Elway. She noticed Higiri backing away and pulled her by the cuff. "And so would she! Higiri, be a dear and help?"

Higiri shook her head furiously, not wanting to get involved with the (apparent?) kitchen disaster that was Elway. She felt F'lhaminn nudge her strongly, indicating that she wouldn't have a choice.

"If I may ask, why do you need to learn?!" Higiri asked in a panic, feeling F'lhaminn inch closer and closer with that same, intimidating smile.

"I want to be able to make my own meals! And," Elway rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "I want to cook something for Yugiri when I see her again."

Higiri sighed, and let herself be pulled in by F'lhaminn towards Elway.

"Fine, I'll assist you."

 **Rising Stones Kitchen – Higiri**

She made a mistake.

F'lhaminn was humming a nice tune while she prepared the tools to be used for their dishes. Nothing wrong there. For now, the kitchen was hidden by a partition that covered them from sight from the rest of the Rising Stones. She peeked at Elway, who was sharpening something off in the corner. Higiri shivered at the thought of him using it to make food. He turned around, planting the pommel of the "tool" on the ground.

"Is this sufficient?" Elway asked curiously, awaiting confirmation.

"Why… WHY are you using your weapon as a cutting tool?!" Higiri cried in frusturation. The Warrior of Light had opted to bring Bravura into the kitchen as if it was a normal practice.

"Every culinarian needs one right? A cutting tool?" Elway tilted his head, apparently sensing nothing wrong with his judgment.

Higiri moved to make a run for it and quit this insanity, but was pulled back by a firm hand.

"Where are you going?" F'lhaminn asked her, the grip on Higiri's wrist tightening. She felt a malicious aura seep out of F'lhaminn, as she shook her head. "You weren't thinking of leaving, were you? That wouldn't do. You'll stay, right?" Higiri could only meekly nod her head before she was released from the vice grip of the matronly Mi'qote.

"Now then," F'lhaminn continued, clapping her hands together joyously, "Before we start cooking, we have _guests_ to help us!" As if on a signal, three figures came out to the opening of the partition hiding the kitchen and showed themselves.

Thancred, Y'shtola and Lyse.

Higiri bowed to them respectfully, but Elway and F'lhaminn merely gave them a friendly wave.

"We heard that a certain _someone,_ " Thancred slapped Elway's shoulder lightly, "Needed help honing his skills. Naturally, we came to help."

"You mean you had nothing to do?" Elway smirked at Thancred, who swatted at his head in response.

"For the moment, I suppose." Y'shtola cut in, crossing her arms in a relaxed manner. "I expect great things."

"As do I!" Lyse raised her hand with a friendly smile, which was returned by Elway. Her eyes, now unhidden, shined with a playfulness unseen in the past days.

"Now then!" F'lhaminn shooed the three "assistants" out of the kitchen and turned to Elway and Higiri. "Let's get started." She flashed a smile, and for a moment Higiri thought the smile looked somewhat wicked.

F'lhaminn pulled out a small bag, and pulled out what was to be their first dish.

"Our first dish will be grilled trout! Fairly easy, especially for us!" The Mi'qote placed the fish onto a cutting board in front of Elway. "Of course, since this is a lesson for Elway, he will be handling most of the process."

"Ah, then the first step would be to remove the innards." Higiri said to Elway, who gave her a serious nod.

Directly after, he simply thrust his hand into the fish.

Higiri gaped at the sight while F'lhaminn simply giggled.

 _He can't be serious._

He was, though.

Elway pulled out a combination of fish guts and meat, tossed it into the trash can and stuck his hand into the fish again. This process continued until the trout was almost completely empty, leaving little but skin and some bone. Higiri put her face in her hands as he looked over the mangled fish, as if he was proud of his work.

He then tossed the fish over to the grill casually, landing perfectly in the center. Elway high-fived F'lhaminn as they looked over the burning fish skin. Minutes passed. The trout was almost completely blackened. Higiri pouted in a corner as Elway and F'lhaminn took the fish off the grill and put it onto a plate, like it was actually food.

"First vict- Um, assistant please!" Elway called.

Thancred appeared, leaning lazily on the wall.

"Well? What is it that I'm eating?" The man said cockily. Higiri pitied him. She really did.

Elway wordlessly passed him the plate with the blackened trout…skin, as Thancred's face twisted in horror.

"I am NOT eating that, Elway! What did you do to the poor thing?!" Thancred cried, pointing rudely at the plate.

"Come on now, Thancred." Elway forced the plate onto Thancred's hands, pushing him back further. "Hurry, we don't have all day you know." Elway cracked his knuckles in a gesture of intimidation, glaring into Thancred's eyes.

The man shut his eyes a hesitantly brought the trout closer to his mouth. Elway's mouth twisted into a sneer as Thancred bit into the "fish."

"Urgh!" The rogue's hands shot up to cover his mouth, his body instantly rejecting the charred trout. His face turned pale as he gagged, about to relieve himself of the contents of his stomach. Thancred sprinted out of the Stones, his hands still covering his mouth as he tried to hold back his crying stomach. The door slammed as Y'shtola and Lyse's questioning voices were left unanswered.

Higiri turned to F'lhaminn and Elway, wanting out of this situation. Elway simply pumped his fist with a smirk, and F'lhaminn giggled darkly.

"Right then…" Higiri said, still scared of the other two occupants of the kitchen. She pulled out a fairly low risk ingredient. "Um… I suppose our next dish is this." She presented them with a dozen eggs. "Boiled eggs. Simple enough?"

"Just fine." Elway's malicious smirk disappeared as he took the container of eggs off her hands. To her surprise, he conducted himself fairly normally. He pulled out a pot big enough to hold a dozen eggs, filled it halfway with water and set the stove to a high heat, letting the water heat up. Elway left the room quickly, and came back with…

A ladder.

"WHAT? Why do you have a ladder?!" Higiri asked. It was going so well, too.

"I heard that boiling eggs from a higher elevation makes them taste better." He replied nonchalantly.

"It make them boil slower, not taste better." She rubbed her temples, already tired of the situation. Elway was already on top of the ladder though.

"Oh." He dropped the first egg into the boiling water anyways. It created a small splash of hot water, everyone backing away from the stove so they wouldn't get burned. The poor egg shattered immediately, the yolk mixing oddly with the water.

"That's not even close to how that works, either!" Higiri shouted indignantly.

And then, the other 11 eggs followed, each making a splash and making the pot into a mixture of shell and egg yolk. Once all the eggs had been butchered by Elway, he climbed down the ladder as F'lhaminn hummed a jolly song and cleaned up the area with some towels. Elway returned the ladder as the pot finished boiling the "eggs," and turned off the heat to the stove.

He pulled out a strainer and placed it on top of the pot. With a mitten, he grabbed the pot and flipped it almost _too_ naturally over a sink to drain excess liquid. He put what remained in the pot onto another plate as he realized something.

"Ah, right, salt!" Elway said. F'lhaminn handed him a can of salt, which he popped open quickly. And subsequently dumped about a fistful of salt onto the plate.

What was once 12 eggs was now a white abomination, a slimy pile of shells, salt and yolk. Higiri shuddered to think what would happen if someone attempted eating it. She briefly considered destroying it before someone could fall victim to it, but Elway was already calling out for Y'shtola. The woman followed him into the kitchen, where F'lhaminn stood holding the plate behind her back. Elway took it from her with a smile, and presented it to Y'shtola.

Y'shtola's usually stoic face turned into one of pure terror. She looked like she was about to ask what it was, but Elway stepped closer and closer until she was pinned against the wall. The only thing separating her from freedom was Elway standing with a plate of some white abomination, smiling brightly.

"I refuse!" Y'shtola tried pushing the plate away, but Elway was like a stone wall. Unmoving, his smile only widened.

"My, my, Archon Y'shtola. Wasting food? That's not like you." Elway taunted, his eyes narrowing. Y'shtola tried turning away from the plate, but Elway put the white monstrosity in front of her face. "Do I need to feed you? _Really?_ "

The woman looked frustrated for a moment before taking a fork and closing her eyes, as if that would reduce the amount of suffering she was about to endure. She took a tiny piece and felt the fork dig into an egg shell. She bit in and instantly regretted the action. Her face turned pale, reminding Higiri of Thancred's reaction. Y'shtola coughed and gagged, utterly disgusted, and began to run out of the Rising Stones.

"Damn it all!" Y'shtola coughed in between words, still tasting the abomination. Shortly after, they heard the door slam and the bar upstairs being ransacked. Probably for a drink to cleanse her palette.

Elway cackled, stretching out his arms.

"One more then." He said wickedly. "Our last dish, ladies, will be this!" Elway motioned to F'lhaminn. She pulled out a small box filled with ingredients for… "Beef stew!"

Higiri recoiled. There were so many ways this could go wrong. Judging from Elway and F'lhaminn's current sadistic streak, everything that could go wrong, _would_ go wrong.

"I'll leave the cutting to you." F'lhaminn stated, smiling at Elway. He pulled out something Higiri forgot about.

"I've been waiting to use Bravura." Elway grinned sadistically, brandishing the axe.

Each vegetable that went onto the chopping board was instantly smashed by the legendary axe, instead of being chopped they were destroyed. Even so, they went into the pot. Soon, the slab of beef went onto the chopping board. Elway put his hand on his chin in a thoughtful gesture. Then, without even cutting the beef, tossed it into the pot.

Elway casually put the pot under the sink and filled it with water, and then put it onto the stove. No seasoning, nothing. Just the vegetables and the single slab of beef and water. Higiri was horrified yet again.

 _How could this happen? Why me?_

They left the pot on for half an hour, then turned off the heat. The odd mixture barely changed. F'lhaminn made a move to call out for Lyse, but Elway held up a hand to stop her.

"I'll bring it _personally._ " Elway smirked again, making Higiri flinch.

He stepped out into the main area, holding the covered pot. He went over to Lyse, who had her head down on the table, probably tired of waiting and just sleeping. Elway slammed the pot onto the table she had her head on.

"Woah! Wha- huh?" Her head shot up, startled. Lyse looked around, confused. She seemed to realize what was happening when she saw Elway with the pot in front of her. "What's this?"

"Why, it's beef stew." He uncovered the pot with a smile. The "beef stew" swimming around in it, smashed and raw vegetables as well as barely cooked beef, made Lyse sick upon seeing it.

"How is that beef stew?! That can't be edible!" She cried out, but Elway shushed her. He put a hand on the pot, checking if the temperature was fine. He nodded, seeing that it was safe.

Then, he made a motion and F'lhaminn was behind Lyse, holding her mouth open.

"Say 'ahh,' dear." The Mi'qote said in a sweet voice. Lyse cried out, seeing Elway holding a spoon of the mockery of beef stew, inching closer and closer to her mouth.

"NO!" Lyse shouted, but it was too late.

 **The Rising Stones – Higiri**

Lyse had passed out after 3 spoonfuls of horribly mangled vegetables and 1 spoonful of a literal slab of beef. Elway and F'lhaminn were cleaning up the kitchen when Higiri finally voiced her confusion.

"So, would any of you inform me what just happened?" She tapped her foot impatiently, but flinched when they turned around smiling.

"It's quite simple, my dear." F'lhaminn spoke up first, leaving the numerous pots out to dry after washing them. Higiri tilted her head in confusion, until Elway elaborated.

"Well, to be specific Higiri, it was revenge." Elway whistled as he wiped the counters. "You see, they kept the matter of Yda actually being Lyse from me for a long time now. Never saying anything about it. Of course I would be at least a little irritated. This was just an excuse to get back, I suppose." Elway laughed, this time genuinely. Higiri groaned, still noting an inconsistency.

"But then, why did you need me?" She asked. "Surely you could have succeeded at this with just you two."

"Ah!" Elway's head shot up. "That's right, I did need you for something. Do you know what Yugiri's favorite dish is?"

Higiri backed away, thinking he was going to try and cook again. However, he pulled out a culinary knife. A simple one, a REAL cutting tool, albeit made of bronze. Suited for novices.

"Truthfully, I'm not completely awful at cooking. I do have my common sense, after all." Elway chuckled, spinning the knife around in his hands. "I'm only somewhat incompetent. I'd appreciate your honest help, for this task anyways."

Higiri sighed, fatigued from the events of the day.

"I suppose I can help if it is for our Lady." Higiri pulled out her own culinary knife. "First, you'll have to learn how to cook rice."

"Alright. Let's get started then!"

 **Side Story 5 – Teach me how to (get revenge) cook!**

 **A/N:** And another side story down, hope you liked it! This one was a lot of fun to write, inspired by the latest events of 3.56 where we find out about Yda actually being her sister. Of course, a lot of people were caught off guard and wondered why she kept it from us, so this is Elway getting his petty payback. Also, in Encyclopedia Eorzea there's some small details like character's favorite foods, Yugiri's favorite is in there too but it's weird to explain how it's made. Anyways, I had a lot of fun writing this one out. Again, I'll be taking some time to properly outline the first part of the second arc, so an update may not be for a while. Please look forward to it!

And leave a review, let me know what you thought!


	17. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Hey, readers! Been a bit since my last update. Apologies for that, university has been keeping me real busy and I haven't got the outline quite done for the second arc yet. There's more than enough to write out the first chapter though, so here we are. Hope you enjoy!

 **Idyllshire – Elway**

The Scions have been relatively busy for a while. Preparations to help the liberation of Ala Mhigo have occupied a majority of their time. Some found themselves busy with diplomatic and reconnaissance quests, some have been tasked with building and repairing new tools and weapons. Some found themselves fighting on the frontlines to push back the Garleans from Eorzean borders. And some…

"ARGH! DAMN IT ALL!"

Some stub their toes while transporting cargo up stairs.

The Warrior of Light dropped his package as lightly as he could, a wooden box whose contents were currently unknown to him. With a frustrated grunt, he bent over and rubbed the toe of his boot. He dusted himself off when the annoyance subsided, the toe aggravating him more than hurting him.

"Something wrong, Elway?" Rowena's head popped out from the back of her shop.

"Nothing to worry about." Elway clicked his tongue in annoyance and got back to moving boxes to Rowena's shop.

Elway was currently helping Rowena move a plethora of products for her shops. While Elway wasn't exactly one to turn people down, he had a good reason to accept a job that simple adventurers could complete.

He had nothing else to do.

The Scions were kept busy with Ala Mhigo, but this time no one needed Elway. 'It was their fight to take back Ala Mhigo, not his,' or so General Raubahn said. Even so, Elway offered to help but the rest of the Scions agreed he needed a break from the nonstop fighting and should make himself elsewhere useful. He hadn't imagined a job as simple as this one though. It was a long time since he had done such menial tasks.

Elway dropped off the last of the boxes at the back of Rowena's store and dusted off his hands. He wiped the small amount of sweat the accumulated on his brow and loosened the collar of his shirt. He felt a breeze pass through and smiled to himself, the satisfaction of completing the job settling in. Rowena came from the front with a wave.

"Good work. Thanks, as always." The woman said amicably. She handed Elway a corked bottle of water, which Elway took gratefully.

"You're welcome." He took a long swig of the bottle and sighed in relief after he was finished. "Now, about my payment-"

"Already taken care of." Rowena grinned, a business-friendly smile plastered on her face. She patted a wooden crate, one of the last he moved into the store, and motioned to him to look. Elway opened to crate and saw exactly what he asked for. He looked up to Rowena with a wide grin.

"Pleasure doing business, Rowena."

 **Idyllshire – Elway**

Now truly without anything to do, Elway lounged around the area, watching adventurers pass by. He smiled at the sight of the town, now truly a hub of commerce and exploration for many. He heard the familiar ringing of his linkpearl being contacted, and held a hand to his ear to receive a call.

"Hello, Elway? It is Y'shtola. There's something important." He heard from the other side of the linkpearl. He nodded in response. "You are near Idyllshire, correct? Meet with me near the entrance of the town."

He dropped the call of the linkpearl and made his way to the entrance of the town. Y'shtola was one of the few Scions not occupied with Ala Mhigo, and instead was working with Krile in Idyllshire to study any potential phenomenon with the newly revealed Primals. He saw the Mi'qote in white waiting expectantly, faced towards the outside of the town.

"Y'shtola." He greeted with a small smile. Y'shtola turned around and gave a wave in response. "What is it that you needed?"

"It is about the portal to the other world that you went through some time ago." Y'shtola explained. His eyes narrowed seriously.

"Is something wrong with it?" Elway asked. If the portal closed, he would be disappointed. But it seems like that wasn't the case here, since she seemed to be talking about it in the present.

"The aetherial signatures the emanated from the portal have been altered. From what we can tell, it hasn't changed too drastically." The woman looked a bit uncomfortable. "It's likely that it won't bring you to the same place as before."

Elway briefly considered the meaning of the changes. If it hasn't changed very much, then it should still bring him to Remnant. He felt a bit glum at the prospect of being unable to meet with the companions he made in his time there, but the idea of exploring new territory excited him more. It wasn't that simple, however.

"I'm assuming there's more?" Elway guessed. Y'shtola nodded at him.

"Yes. Some of the aetherial signatures detected, they aren't something new." Y'shtola's eyes narrowed. "It's similar to the aether we detect from Ascians."

"Damn." Elway could only offer a simple curse, worry appearing on his face. While he hadn't found out any more about the Ascian he saw manipulating Gilgamesh into Remnant, he knew that the Ascian was likely still there. And still posed a threat to the innocents. His fist clenched, thinking of the consequences of letting the Ascian run rampant. Would Remnant be able to stand against one?

"That's why I called you here." Y'shtola made eye contact with Elway, her eyes determined. "You have companions in the other world, correct?"

Elway nodded at her, seeing her intention already.

"Since you haven't much to do here, help them. We will be sufficient for Eorzea." Y'shtola smiled at the determined stare Elway had. He gave her a stoic nod.

"Thank you, Y'shtola."

 **The Dravanian Hinterlands – Elway**

Elway stood in front of the portal once again, only this time a bit more prepared. He held a wooden crate at his side, the gift from Rowena as payment. Y'shtola stood at his side, watching him with a bit of concern in her eyes.

"Will you be alright alone?" She asked warily.

"Of course. I am more than accustomed to it." Elway chuckled, and looked at Y'shtola. He put on a taunting grin. "Unless you'd like to come along?"

"Enticing as that sounds, I will have to decline." Y'shtola laughed. "Adventuring is your hobby. Krile and I have matters we must attend to, as well. Good luck on your journey, Elway."

"Of course. Contact me using my linkpearl if anything important arises." Elway bowed respectfully to her. "I'll see you later."

They both nodded at each other, as Elway walked forward into the portal.

A distorted sensation permeated through him as he walked forward, the portal taking him to what he hoped was Remnant. He felt his senses twist, as reality bended to bring him through.

 **? – Elway**

He landed face first onto the ground, his package following soon after. Elway groaned and looked behind him. The portal was there, and nothing of note was amiss. He looked around and observed his surroundings. Snow. He suddenly felt very aware of the low temperature, and pulled his jacket tighter around himself.

The environment was certainly different from where he ended up last time. As opposed to a cave on the side of a mountain, he seemed to be on top of a cliff overlooking a city. By the looks of it, he was clearly in Remnant. The architecture and technology he could see was a dead giveaway. His eyes widened as he marveled at the city. It was massive, with tall and industrial style buildings occupying his field of vision. The sight of advanced technology brought to mind the Garleans. Hopefully this nation didn't share those intense, militaristic standards. Elway sighed in relief, glad that he ended up in Remnant again. He looked to the crate that fell alongside him, and got to taking the contents out.

He opened the crate with a smile.

 _This should make things much easier._ He thought to himself.

A miniature aetheryte.

He looked to a more stable area and set the miniature aetheryte down carefully. The blue crystal hummed, a signal of its activation. Elway held up a hand to the crystal and attempted to attune himself to it. But no light came.

Elway sighed, predicting that it wouldn't work so easily. The world of Remnant lacked the aether that flowed through the world of Hydaelyn. Instead, it manifested in the form of Aura, inside of people. Maybe the aetheryte would function if placed in an area with more people. He placed the aeheryte back into the crate, and set his eyes towards to the city. First order of business was to figure out where he was, and possibly get into contact with anyone he had met before. Maybe mentioning the names of the people he had met before would help him get around.

"Alright then. Let's get to it."

 **Chapter 12 – Another Adventure**

 **A/N:** And that kicks off the second arc. Props (but not really) for guessing the really obvious place he landed in. And guessing where he is might lead you to the RWBY characters he meets. Maybe. Can't promise when the next update will be, shouldn't be too far off.

Hope you enjoyed, and please leave a review.


	18. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Hello readers! I'm finally back, and I should apologize for it taking so long. I've been busy with things IRL (And playing Persona 5 while I wasn't, haha) but I could at least get this update out. Sorry it took so long, and thank you for waiting.

To phuxeds: I appreciate that a lot! Thanks for the review, and I hope I don't disappoint.

To Guardian Mikey: Thanks for the review! Adventures should be fun, after all. At the moment I don't need any characters, but if any situation like that pops up I'll let the readers know.

 **Chapter 13**

 **? – Elway**

Elway sighed as he hefted the crate containing his semi-useless aetheryte. Now on the outskirts of the city, he examined the grandiose buildings closely. From what he could observe, travel seemed to be limited as any vehicles or ships that would have come to a city as huge as this were not present. Though the city seemed to be industrial in nature, it lacked a certain bustle that a lived-in city would have. Even though he didn't personally arrive at Mistral, he at least saw a number of airships headed towards the massive city. So why were there no signs of commerce or travel here? He scratched his head with his free arm.

"That's odd."

Walking to what seemed to be a customs gate, he was approached by a few security guards. Dressed in a white armor and a helmet that obscured their faces, Elway drew back a bit. One of them spoke up in a haughty tone.

"State your business." The guard in the middle looked down on Elway, towering over him and brandishing a rifle in a show of intimidation. Elway assumed he was the one ranked above the others by presence alone.

"Er, I'm a traveler. I'd like access into the city." Elway said, unabashed. The leader of the guards scoffed.

"If you're a traveler then you might have heard the rumors. Atlas is currently undergoing a travel ban. Nobody out, and nobody in. Especially no suspicious elements." Elway felt a glare beneath the helmet of the guards. Clearly they were trying to intimidate him. Elway laughed a bit under his breath. "We're gonna need to see some identification."

"Sorry. Haven't got any at the moment." Elway braced himself for a confrontation. They were already suspicious of him, and if the travel ban was any indication they were being careful of _something._

"Then you're coming with us. A traveler with no ID, at a time like this?" One of the guards spat to the side. "Sounds like bull."

"I can assure you that I have no ill intentions." Elway held up his hands in a final gesture of goodwill. The guards didn't buy it.

"Arrest him." The captain of the guards ordered. Elway counted 4 guards, 2 at his flanks, the captain at his front and one behind him.

The guards drew batons, likely to incapacitate him for interrogation and advanced carefully towards Elway. He sighed.

"I wanted to avoid this, you know."

The guards, sans the captain, didn't heed his words and charged forward and struck all at once in a trained, practiced maneuver. They left no room for escape.

For a normal person, anyways.

Elway took a deep breath as the guards struck, and stomped down onto the ground beneath his feet. The ground shattered, releasing the strength of the _Arm of the Destroyer_ and blowing back the surrounding guards. Their captain looked shocked for a moment, before leveling his rifle at Elway.

"Don't move!" The captain shouted as his guards staggered back up and attempted to reassemble their formation.

"That's my line, sir." Elway walked forward calmly. The guard captain put his finger on the trigger of the rifle. "Too late."

Elway rushed the captain in an instant and struck the captain's stomach with a palm strike. He kicked the side of his head for good measure, knocking him out. The rest of the guards clumsily reached for their firearms, still groggy from his previous attack. A wind surrounded Elway's fists as he moved too quickly for them to draw their weapons, running towards them with a flourish of wind that increased his speed. He jumped into the air and dropped his leg in an axe kick that once again shattered the ground and hit the guards all at once, finally incapacitating them.

"This is Gate 4! We need backup, a-"

Elway had missed a guard at the gate apparently. He appeared in front of the terrified guard and struck the guard's temple, cracking the helmet a bit and knocking him out.

"Lyse'd be proud of me, I hope."

 _They called for assistance. I had better leave, quickly. Damn those travel bans. The enemy of adventure._

Elway tsk'd and turned away to his crate on the floor, as he heard a shout and readied for another battle.

"Hey! You, the one in red!"

A hooded figure gestured him from past the gate. Elway saw the gates opening, assuming the figure had somehow opened them for him.

"I saw the whole thing. This place is 'bout to be in high alert." The hooded figure pointed behind him, gesturing towards an alley. "You wanted in, right? I can arrange somethin'. We can avoid surveillance through here."

Elway pondered the situation. If they pursued him, they could easily find him from any monitoring of the gate just now. And running wouldn't prove very fruitful against airships. Though this unexpected benefactor seemed a bit shady for his tastes. As it stood, he didn't have much of a choice.

"Can't be getting into trouble after one day here, after all. Lead the way."

The hooded figure nodded at this, and motioned Elway to follow him into the alley.

 **Forked Road Bar – Elway**

The figure pulled off his hood, and what greeted Elway was a toothy grin. Elway set his crate down near the entrance of the bar.

"Name's Walts. Thanks, for what you did back there."

Walts was a stockily built man, about the same height as Elway but had some noticeable bulk to his figure. He had long, graying hair that was brushed back as well as a full, neatly trimmed beard. He wore a bartender's outfit with a red tie, but the numerous scars along his arms and his well-built frame hinted that Walts was far from a simple bartender.

The Forked Road seemed to be a fairly disreputable bar, judging by the inhabitants. Upon entering the bar Elway received numerous glares and scoffs. He ignored them in favor of learning more about his current position.

"You mean disposing of the guards at the gate?" Elway prodded. "Why?"

Walts moved behind the bar counter and casually placed a glass in front of Elway. He filled to the brim smoothly with a brown liquid in front of Elway's eyes, and inched the glass to Elway in a show of goodwill. One whiff of the drink told Elway that the drink was extremely strong, making him wrinkle his nose. He politely shook his head, which Walt chuckled at.

"Can't handle your liquor, eh? That's alright." The bartender pulled a cigar out of his vest and lit it, taking a long inhale before addressing Elway. "About the gate, we've been scouting it for a few days now. Bartendin's not the only business we run here."

"Do you mean illegal actions?" Elway sighed. As much as he didn't enjoy rigid laws, he couldn't stand the idea of assisting with drug trading, or _Oh_. His hands balled into fists, feeling like he'd been used. Until Walts gave him another toothy grin.

"Somethin' of that sort. But nothin' wicked, I promise." The bartender chuckled as Elway relaxed into his seat. Walts leaned closer, whispering secretively. "To be honest, we help smuggle people in n' out of Atlas. It'd been tough before, but now it's even worse with the new laws. Damned Ironwood."

"Atlas is… this kingdom, correct?" Elway questioned. Walts raised a brow inquisitively at Elway.

"Yeah, that's right." Walts leaned back. "You're not from around these parts, are you?"

"No, just a traveler." Elway shook his head. Walts hmm'd slightly at that.

"Ah well. It's not our business to pry into customer's affairs."

"If it's okay to ask, doesn't that mean you need to get someone in or out of the country now?" Elway asked. "With the guards gone, wouldn't it have been prudent to leave immediately?"

"We'd need to take care of the security cameras first," Walts took another long drag of his cigar. "Even then, our usual men are… oh."

Elway felt a huge slap on his back. He grunted slightly, and turned around to see a man very, _very_ inebriated. The man wore a white cloak, possibly to blend in with the snowy landscape of Atlas. He had short, messy brown hair and a bit of stubble on his chin. He was also leaning closer, Elway noted.

"Heyy… why the 'ell ain't ye drinkin?!"

Elway was about to push the man away for sake of his personal space, until he the man grabbed the glass in front of Elway and forced it on him. Elway protested, coughing and sputtering.

 _Oh gods, I'm already feeling it._

Walts let out a hearty laugh, but didn't do anything to help Elway as the drunkard poured more of the drink into Elway's mouth, most of it spilling rather than entering his mouth.

"Well, uh, our usual men are drunk." Walts noted. Elway guessed "usual men" meant the drunkard and whoever else operated with him. Speaking of the drunkard, he slapped Elway's back again.

"Aw, come on, bastard!" The smuggler took another swig of whatever was in his glass. "What are ye, a lightweight?!"

Something snapped in Elway.

Or maybe it was the alcohol.

"Who the hell are you callin' a lightweight?!" Elway roared.

Walts doubled over in laughter, seeing Elway finally snap. He pulled out two shot glasses and slammed them in front of Elway and the smuggler, pouring a much stronger alcohol into each glass. The glasses were emptied instantly, both men recoiling from the potency of the drink.

"ANOTHER!" They shouted in unison.

Of course, since Elway's tolerance for alcohol was piss-poor, he passed out after the second shot. Both Walts and the smuggler laughed at the sight. A slow hour passed, the smuggler finally somewhat sobering up and customers beginning to leave the bar.

The door to the bar opened loudly, alerting both Walts and the smuggler.

A group of Atlesian guards walked into the bar cockily, paying no mind to any of the current customers. Some of the inhabitants up and left, some of them made a move to hide, but Walts took on a serious expression. The guards made a note to examine the faces of each of the customers.

"Sorry, it's business hours. Could I ask you to come back some other time?" Walts said calmly. He made a motion with his hand slightly to the smuggler. The smuggler, sensing the significance of the situation, nodded. He threw his cloak over Elway and slung Elway's arm over his shoulder, bringing him to a backroom. Elway stirred noticing the man bringing him into a room.

"Afraid not, _Walts."_ The guard said his name like a poison. "We're looking for an escaped target. Last seen at Gate 4. As well as a certain VIP whose identity we can't disclose at the moment. You know anything?"

Walts cursed under his breath.

"Sorry, I don't got a clue."

The guards seemed to ignore him.

"Well then. We'll have to do a search of the place. Just to be sure."

"That's an obstruction of business, y'know…" Walts growled, anger rising.

Meanwhile, the smuggler was bringing him throughout a large storage room in the back of the bar.

"Wha… huh…?" Elway groggily questioned, but the smuggler's serious face alerted him to the situation. He set Elway down behind a few barrels, and Elway finally noticed another presence in the room next to him. The figure was also dressed in a white cloak, and their frame was noticeably much smaller compared to his. Still in a bit of a daze, Elway couldn't quite make out the features of the figure, but he could at least tell that they were (probably?) a woman.

"What's happening? Everything went quiet!" The girl asked, indignant. The smuggler held up a finger to his lips, shushing the girl. Her voice lowered into a whisper. "You've made me wait this long, I demand an explanation."

"Sorry lass, it'll be a bit." The smuggler said softly. "Guards jus' showed up. On the lookout for him, and maybe you."

The girl gasped, and Elway sighed.

"I can deal with this, if you'd like." Elway responded. He clenched a fist. He could fight somewhat intoxicated.

"No, yer just a traveler as far as we're concerned." He gave Elway a wink. "Shouldn't make more trouble than needed. And from that footage, you cause any more trouble and real Atlas military'd come after ye."

Elway nodded, feeling regret that he put the bar in this situation.

Walts burst in through the backdoor quickly.

"Donn!" Walts shouted at the smuggler. Elway guessed that was his name. "They need to get out of here, now. Before they find them both."

Donn nodded at Walts. Walts tossed him a key and parcel.

"Get out through the back. Don't let yourself be seen." Walts advised. "And stay safe."

"Same to ye." Donn replied. "Come on, both of ye. We need to get out."

The group went to a separate room, away from storage. Donn led them both to a hidden, latched door, which he unlocked swiftly with a key, leading to an underground passage. He let Elway and the girl go in first and lead the way before he heard pounding footsteps.

"Shit!" He cursed. The door behind them pounded, signaling the guards trying to force their way through. "Traveler, lass!" He tossed them the key and parcel he received recently. Elway caught them both, examining them quickly. "The key's fer the other end o' the passage! The parcel's her payment!"

They intended to leave him with the job from here. Elway clenched his fists again. They intended to take the fall to let the two escape.

"I can help!" The girl shouted. "Let me-" Her hood flew off as she shouted, shocking Elway once he saw who was underneath.

"No, lass! You've got a job to do, and that's survive."

The underground door slammed, and they heard the lock shut them both in, leaving them no choice but to advance forward. They heard the clamoring of guards moving to arrest the smuggler, Donn. And both of them felt powerless as they did so.

"Let's go." The girl said quietly. "We can't waste this chance."

"Will you be okay?" Elway asked her.

Icy blue eyes turned to acknowledge him. Her white hair billowed from beneath her hood. The girl nodded at him, but he saw that her eyes were glassy with unshed tears. Tears of frustration. Elway saw a bit of himself in her. The anger of being helpless. Seeing people sacrifice themselves for her. The fear of being left behind. But she kept moving.

"You're strong, for a girl your age."

"Age has nothing to do with it. I can't fail now." She responded, resolute. "Not after what they've done for me."

"Well said." Elway reached out a hand. "My name is Elway Ryse. And you're Weiss Schnee, aren't you?"

 **Chapter 13 – Weiss Schnee**

 **A/N:** And there we have it! It was pretty obvious that Elway was in Atlas, and now he gets to meet the next member of Team RWBY. The second arc will move quite a bit faster than the first one. Honestly, I considered having Elway waste all the guards in the bar but I figure after breaking your way into a military-styled city and assaulting a bunch of guards is a good way to make yourself public enemy #1. Would've been fun to write, but maybe another time. Again, sorry about the chapter being so late. Next one should come out maybe before Stormblood drops. Although after Stormblood comes out I might disappear from the face of the earth, then update again when I see the story and everything. I'm seeing a lotta death flags for certain characters (*cough*Y'shtola and Yugiri *cough*) but we'll see what happens. See you next time!

And I crave reviews like cats crave fish. Please leave some reviews!


	19. Chapter 14

**A/N:** Hello readers! Unfortunately didn't get this chapter out before Stormblood got to me, but I can say that Stormblood was _great._ The dungeons were very well designed, the primals and the final boss were all really fun, and aside from the early access DDOS problems, my experience has been great so far. Can't wait for Omega raids and such. I'll be waiting a bit to talk about it in more detail, I'll put spoilers ahead for when I decide to intertwine this story with Stormblood.

To MaxHD2490: Shiva would be a pretty big problem here, of course. And look forward to this new arc, there'll be a lot of interaction between Elway and Weiss. Thanks for the review!

To phuxeds: I agree! There's a lot of potential for a fun story in there, but the only issue I had when I thought of the cast of RWBY appearing in Hydaelyn was the issue of how they are to end up there. They're quite busy enough in Remnant, after all. It's definitely something that would be fun to write, and thanks for the review!

Onto the story!

 **Chapter 14**

 **Underground Atlas – Elway**

In retrospect, that probably wasn't a good idea.

The girl, Weiss, drew back and gasped. She took a defensive stance and reached into her cloak, likely for her weapon.

"How do you know who I am?!" Weiss hissed. "Did _he_ send you after me?"

She drew her weapon, an elegant rapier with a barrel at the base, likely to be used for Dust if the coloring was any indication.

"Answer me, now!" Weiss shouted. Elway held up his hands in a gesture of peace.

"Trust me, I don't know who this _'he'_ is, but I mean no harm." Elway responded carefully. "I know who you are because of a friend. I can assure you that this is mere coincidence."

"Liar!" She cried. Elway finally noticed the bags under her eyes, the fatigue in her stance. It became clear that she has been without proper rest for a few days now.

"Please, listen." Elway kept his distance, not wanting to startle her. "She's a friend of yours. Ruby Rose."

Weiss staggered a bit upon hearing Ruby's name. Her eyes hardened.

"D-Don't try to trick me! Anyone could've known her name!" She leveled her rapier at Elway again, but he put on a kind smile.

"Jaune, Ren, and Nora too." Elway said soothingly. "I know I seem suspicious at the moment, but Ruby told me about you. She said you were 'really smart,' and how you were a bit mean when you first met. And how she knows you will see each other again someday."

The girl weakened, her stance dropping.

"That sounds just like her. You're not lying?" She asked weakly. A small voice, befitting a girl of her age.

"I'm not. I promise." Elway shook his head softly. "Last I saw her, she was on her way to Mistral. Safe, with the three of them."

"She's really okay? Thank goodness…" Weiss spoke. She looked down, hiding her face. "Then, who are you? How do you know them?"

"I'm an adventurer." Elway smiled at her again. "Ran into them by chance. I traveled with them for a while."

"An adventurer? In this day and age?" Weiss shook her head. "You must be crazy."

"Don't disagree with you there." Elway reached out a hand once more. Weiss took it politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Er… likewise." Weiss shyly replaced the rapier on her hip. "And, um, sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it. I should probably apologize for startling you as well," Elway chuckled a bit, and looked to the dark passage. "For now, we should leave. If they find the passage, their efforts will have been for naught."

Weiss gave a slow nod.

"Let's go."

They began walking in silence towards the end of the passage, an awkward tension filling the air. Elway led the way, Weiss staying close behind. Elway sighed softly. He thought about the bar, and the people left behind. A pang of frustration ran through him as he remembered he left behind the crate containing the mini-aetheryte. It could wait, he thought, and his mind drifted back to the silence.

"Um… the bartender, Walts. Did you know him?" Elway softly tried striking up a conversation.

"He was a friend of our butler, Klein. They were… supposed to help me get out of Atlas, before all this happened." Weiss' hands balled into fists again. "It's so…"

"Frustrating?" Elway finished for her.

"Yes." Weiss rubbed her eyes with her hand. "I'm sick of seeing people sacrifice themselves."

 _Ah. Of course, she must have been a friend of Pyrrha as well._ Elway thought solemnly.

"My condolences, Weiss." Elway sighed. "I know the feeling all too well."

"What do you mean by-" Weiss was interrupted by Elway stopping slowly in front of her. He gestured toward a soft light in the distance, most likely their way out.

"That should be it." Elway jogged forward lightly to inspect the slight opening.

"H-Hey! Wait!" Weiss followed after brusquely.

They peeked through the opening and were met with what appeared to be a warehouse, though empty.

"An abandoned warehouse. Let's go." Elway motioned for Weiss to follow. He lightly pushed the passage door open, and the warehouse was revealed in full.

It appeared to be used infrequently, with a heavy layers of dust covering the area. The two walked to an opening where they saw a locked door, Weiss following nervously behind.

"Let's go, the sooner we're out of here the better." Weiss whispered.

Elway slowly took out the key they were given and put it into the lock. He quietly turned it, smiling slightly when the lock gave way. He turned to nod at Weiss and pushed the door lightly. A burst of cold air assailed his senses as he stepped outside. It was in the middle of the night it seemed, the shattered moon overhead giving enough light to observe his surroundings. Weiss looked around and pointed to a familiar sight.

"There's the gate. It's empty, come on." She whispered. She made a move to go towards it, but was stopped by Elway's hand.

"Hold on. There was a breach of the gate not too long ago." Elway recalled his escapade into the city. "Why haven't they replaced any of the guards? This reeks of a trap."

"Well then, what do _you_ suggest we do?"

"Um… look for another way…?" Elway suggested weakly.

"Don't be ridiculous! We can't afford to wait much longer! And what if there are guards at other gates?"

"Just how many gates are there?"

"More than we can afford to check." Weiss huffed.

"Ugh. But…"

"No buts! Let's move!" Weiss nudged him forward impatiently.

"I pegged you as a rational one you know…" Elway sighed.

The two slowly began making their way to the gate, cautiously watching for any observers. Although, being night, the city seemed empty at the moment. They proceeded slowly to the opening of the gate, hesitant. Elway's eyes widened slightly.

He cast an arm to the side protectively, blocking the girl's vision. Weiss jumped up, slightly startled. His eyes narrowed, focused on whatever lay ahead.

"Damn it. Weiss, behind me."

"Hey! What're you doing?"

Weiss pushed forward past Elway and gasped. A bright searchlight instantly flared upon their position as he revealed herself. She began to panic slightly.

 _No, no…_

What was revealed was a harrowing sight, even for her.

A platoon of Atlas soldiers. Some bearing the SDC symbol.

 _They found me._ Weiss thought to herself, a dim resignation setting in.

 _What do I do now? Can I still escape? Should I give in here? And go back… to them?_

 _I can't. I'm so close! But…_

"Weiss? Weiss!"

A voice cut into her stupor.

"They're here…" Weiss murmured. "The SDC's caught up to me."

"We've found the suspect and the missing heiress! Waiting on your orders." An officer called into his scroll.

"What now?" Elway shook his head. "Listen, you need to get back. They're not up for a nice chat, if the rifles are any indication. We need to break away from here." He motioned to the currently leveled guns aimed at the pair.

"It's me they want. If I give myself up…"

" **Weiss.** You said you were tired of people being sacrificed. And here you are, doing the same. Shame on you." Elway admonished her. "There will be no sacrifices today."

"There's no point! What choice do I have?!" Weiss replied angrily. "What am I supposed to do now?"

Elway sighed sadly, clenching his fist.

The officer spoke up after receiving a loud noise on his scroll.

"Schnee! Your father has a message!" The officer called out. He pressed a button on the scroll, activating the speaker function.

"Ahem." A snobbish voice spoke from the scroll. "Young lady, what are you _thinking?!_ "

Weiss grit her teeth upon hearing that voice.

"How dare you run away, simply because you were disinherited? You spoiled brat, after that stunt you pulled at the party…"

"That's NOT why I left!" Weiss screamed back. "I left because I won't stay in that damned house for another MINUTE with you and Whitley! I won't be controlled anymore… this life is MINE!"

"You stupid girl, you're just a figurehead for the SDC. You can't even begin to associate your worthless self with MY company!" Jacques spat back. "Now I have to take you back and if I must waste ANY more time with you SMEARING the Schnee family name, locking you up will only be the beginning of your punishment."

"I don't care about the Schnee name! NOT ANYMORE!" Weiss stomped. She cast off the white cloak, revealing a gray dress.

She drew her rapier and stabbed it into the snow ground. A glyph of swords appeared, spinning, spinning rapidly. Elway looked on in awe as a glowing sword began to form in the center of the glyph.

"Foolish. What could a single huntress do that an army could not?" Jacques mocked from the scroll.

The glyph faltered, the sword flickered. Weiss' concentration broke, the memories of her bastard brother saying the same only serving to further anger her.

"Shut up! If we don't do anything, who will?!" She cried. "I'm going to make a difference, I promise!"

The glyph spun quickly again in response to her emotions, glowing brighter and brighter.

"Idiot. Hurry up and capture her! I've wasted enough time. And if that man tries to interfere, kill him." Jacques ordered, and the call was cut off.

The officer made a gesture.

"Yes sir. Apprehend the girl and the suspect who broke into Gate 4."

The platoon moved forward slowly, some bearing batons and ones bearing rifles staying behind.

Weiss gave a small smile as she felt the glyph accelerate into completion. It exploded into a flash of white light, blowing back the SDC soldiers.

What appeared from the glyph was a white knight, kneeled in front of her. It slowly stood up, revealing its huge stature.

"Elway, we're getting out of here. No sacrifices, promise." Weiss gave him a small smile. Elway smirked back.

"Then let's show this 'army' what a huntress can do." Elway walked forward, throwing off his cloak as well and stood alongside the knight as the soldiers got up and prepared their weapons once more. He gave a lazy shrug. "About 40 or so… All the same to me, quite honestly. Let's begin."

The soldiers with batons charged forward directly at Weiss, while the ones in the backline opened fire at the knight. Elway intercepted the few soldiers charging at Weiss. He summoned Bravura forth, charging into them. He raised his axe with a battle cry and slammed it into the ground, sending forth a wave of fire that _Overpowered_ them, knocking them back into several other soldiers. Elway jumped after the incapacitated soldiers slashing into the swathes of soldiers.

The knight walked forward, undeterred by the hail of bullets and slashed through the soldiers with its massive blade. Soldiers retreated back, preparing explosives to deal with the larger foe.

Weiss stepped off of a glyph forward and quickly jumped above the group of soldiers, and jumped off another glyph midair to the ground, stabbing her rapier in the earth and setting off a huge explosion of ice dust, creating a mass of ice that froze a mass of soldiers in place.

She created a series of glyphs around another group of soldiers that she jumped between rapidly, slashing all the soldiers in rapid succession. She felt their auras shatter and grinned.

An explosion of fire dust went off, making Weiss turn around. A group of soldiers opened fire with explosives at the knight, causing it to collapse. She felt it begin to dissipate and grunted in frustration.

"That's one of our flanks. Would you like to retreat now?" Elway appeared at her back, brandishing Bravura on his shoulder. They cut down most of the soldiers, only around 10 remaining. "I think we've more than proven our point."

A loud, mechanical noise was heard and the two looked to the source. Weiss gasped. A massive mechanized battlesuit, designed by both Atlas and the SDC.

"That's an Atlesian Paladin! Are you serious?!" Weiss staggered, her fatigue from the past few days finally catching up to her.

"Is that bad?" Elway asked. Weiss nodded weakly.

Weiss made a move to summon the knight once more, but began to collapse.

"Weiss!" Elway shouted. He caught her before she hit the ground, but she was already unconscious.

"Weiss you FOOL!" The seething voice of Jacques Schnee rang out from the suit. "Attacking Atlas personnel and resisting arrest? Now I have to punish you _myself._ "

A barrage of missiles started flying out from the Paladin, assailing Elway and Weiss. The two were blown away by the explosions, Elway tightly holding onto Weiss. The remainder of the platoon began to retreate, taking their wounded away from the battle.

"She's unconscious? Good, now this will be simple." Jacques sighed. "Hand her over! Or do you want to die?!"

The Paladin leveled a gun at Elway, who stood protectively over Weiss.

"Stop this madness! She's your daughter, isn't she? And you're attacking her?!" Elway shouted at the Paladin.

"She's being _punished_ for her stupid actions. The Schnee is a noble family, and she has only continued to participate in such barbarism! I don't expect a brute like YOU to understand!"

Elway looked back to Weiss, collapsed still.

Something inside of Elway spoke.

 _She's tired, hurt and has to deal with this sack of shite as a father. Absolutely revolting._

 _You think so too, don't you…_

 _Elway?_

"You disgust me. She's been trying her hardest, that much is apparent."

Elway clutched a dark red soul crystal to his heart.

"So you're the one about to be punished."

In Elway's hands, instead of Bravura, was a massive black sword, glowing softly, with a wicked eye in the middle of the spiked guard.

 _Deathbringer,_ the abyss whispered.

Elway pointed the two-handed sword at the Paladin. A red aura flared to life around him, his _Darkside_ manifesting itself.

"You think a single man can fight against this marvel of technology? You're just as foolish as her." Jacques sneered.

The machine charged at Elway, who silently lowered himself into a battle stance. Every step the machine took shook the ground, but Elway didn't falter. It reared an arm back and let loose a punch that could shatter buildings.

But Elway was faster.

He stabbed the sword forward, lodging it deep into the machine. He jumped up, rending the metal monstrosity in two.

 _Souleater? For trash like this? You must be angry, Elway._

The owner of the SDC fell out of the cockpit of the now-destroyed Paladin. He was met by a boot slamming down onto his back, and the blade of Deathbringer in front of his eyes.

"Y-y-you wouldn't dare kill me! I'm the owner of the Schnee Dust Company! I can give you money, or anything!" Jacques pleaded for his life, squirming under Elway's boot.

"I've killed better men." Elway's eyes flashed red. Deathbringer inched closer to Jacques' neck. "You're just a man who uses his family as a tool."

Memories of Rielle and her mother came, reminding Elway that families could end up twisted and broken. Even to the most innocent.

"Die with that sin." Elway said coldly.

He made a move to slit Jacques' neck, but stopped.

Something inside of him hesitated.

 _Another victim,_ the soul crystal called to him.

 _Another broken by you,_ something else called, something softer.

Weiss stirred behind him, grunting as she woke from her stupor.

"Father…?"

Elway kicked Jacques' temple, rendering him unconscious. He quickly went to Weiss' side, Deathbringer disappearing from his hands. He propped her up and began to carry her on his back.

"Come on Weiss. We've won."

She nodded softly and fell unconscious again.

Elway walked forward with the girl on his back, away from the city.

 **Chapter 14 – Make a difference**

 **A/N:** Whew, and there it is. Again, sorry about this being later than I wanted it to be, but I've been pretty busy. Elway finally revealed his Dark Knight job! The DRK 70 quest for Stormblood was really good, and I'm trying to put some stuff about Dark Knight in here. The questline reveals a lot about the WoL, and I'll be referencing it a bit throughout the arc. This arc will focus a lot of these two, so look forward to it. Hope you liked it, and pleeeease review! It encourages me to keep writing.


	20. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Hey readers, back with another chapter. The volume 5 Weiss character short came out, and it looked really good. Can't wait for volume 5. Not too much else to say here, hope you enjoy!

To unnoticed reader: Thanks for the review! And yeah, the lore behind Dark Knights is a really interesting part of FFXIV, really wanted to use it. As for Weiss and Red Mage, you got me. In the future I really want to have the RWBY cast learn more about the world of FFXIV, and Weiss' style is very reminiscent of Red Mages. At the moment, Elway doesn't really know about Red Mage since he's still technically pre-Stormblood. In the future though, look forward to it.

 **Chapter 15**

 **? – Weiss**

Sprawled out on the floor. Weak, and defeated.

If someone would ask the former heiress of the Schnee Dust Company what she would prefer to be, none of these were it. A Schnee was elegant and graceful, and always triumphant. At least, that's what she thought.

Instead, Weiss Schnee was injured and humiliated. By her own father, no less. The very picture of a spoiled tyrant. What a farce.

She grit her teeth and tried to move, to grab her weapon again, to do _anything_. Her fatigue overcame her and she was rendered motionless. Now the adventurer she had just met was likely to die, and she would be taken back to that mockery of a home.

She tasted weakness again, and it was bitter.

She struggled to move her head, barely conscious as is, to scream at Elway to run away, that a regular adventurer could not stand up to an Atlesian Paladin. Most Huntsman and Huntresses would have trouble facing one alone. She couldn't bear to watch another victim fall in front of her eyes. She wouldn't. She forced her body awake, and looked straight ahead.

And instead of a man being overwhelmed by an Atlesian Paladin, she saw that same man standing rigidly with a blade poised over something, the ruined halves of the Paladin in the background. That something was her father, Jacques Schnee. The figure coldly muttered something before raising his blade, about to kill the older man.

"W-WAIT!"

Weiss cried, suddenly sitting up.

Only, the instant her eyes were fully open, she was met not with a snowy landscape, but instead a warm and comforting room. She examined her surroundings, noticing she was upright in a bed, covered by a number of sheets. The room seemed to be a simple room for temporary lodging.

"A dream?" Weiss mumbled. "But how did I get here…?"

She removed some of the sheets veering her and noticed a few bandages on her body, covering the areas where she was hit by the explosives.

A slight bustling was heard from the outside, leading Weiss to assume that she was currently in an inn or some lodging establishment. She made a move to get up, but winced upon realizing she was still rather tired. Her stomach grumbled loudly, since she hadn't eaten a proper meal recently. Weiss felt a shift behind the door to the room, as if responding to the grumbling of her stomach.

The door opened to reveal Elway, walking in discreetly with a tray of food. His eyes went to Weiss, whom he expected to be sleeping still. He gasped upon seeing that Weiss was well and awake, setting the tray down on a nearby table.

"You're up!" Elway exclaimed in a relieved manner. "Thank goodness."

"Yeah." Weiss replied, still discomforted by the dream she saw earlier. "What happened? How did we get here?"

Elway tilted his head, not meeting her eyes.

"After the battle, you were still unconscious for the most part." He explained. "I defeated the Paladin, and I carried you away."

"No way. You're not a Huntsman or anything, right? How did you achieve that?"

"I managed." Elway said quietly. Weiss clicked her tongue. That wasn't telling much at all.

"And my father?" Weiss asked nervously, hoping that dream wasn't a reflection of reality.

"Incapacitated soon after." Weiss noticed a dark look in Elway's eyes as he replied. She was about to press him about it, but her stomach interrupted, rumbling loudly again.

"Ah! Right, I forgot, you must be starving." Elway quickly passed her the tray of food. A hearty stew in a bowl as well as some bread. Simple, yet cozy.

"Oh. T-thank you." She accepted the food gratefully, a bit embarrassed of her impoliteness. She lightly took a spoon and ate in small bites, despite her hunger.

"Holding back even though you haven't eaten for so long?" Elway put on a taunting smirk. "Sooo proper."

"Quiet!" Weiss fumed. She shooed him out of the room as he laughed at her expense. Weiss sat back down and took the spoon again, this time taking a huge bite of stew and a bite of bread.

 **Inn Lobby – Elway**

Elway chuckled to himself as he sat down, happy to see that the girl was alright for the moment. He was lucky that they received the lien from Walts and Donn. Some of it was used to purchase lodging for the two, but a majority of the funds remained. One of the employees passed by with a smile and a wave. He returned the smile with a nod.

 _Weiss Schnee. An honest girl. One of Ruby's friends. And if my intuition is correct, she's wanting to go to Mistral._

 _That's likely her best option. The question is, how?_

He looked up as he heard the sound of a door open, and saw Weiss bashfully walking through the door from her room.

"Ah. Done already, eh?" Elway teased.

"Yes, well…" Weiss fumbled. "It's been a while since I've eaten…" Elway laughed and motioned for her to sit down across from him.

"Just teasing you." Elway sat back in the sofa he was sitting on. Weiss took a seat on a chair nearby, looking a bit curious. "Now, you seem like you have questions. Ask away."

"Well… where are we, exactly?" Weiss asked.

"I don't quite remember the name of this town, but it's the closest one I could find east of here." Elway replied, tilting his head.

"Wait, really?! The closest town east of Atlas would be Laden!" Weiss shouted.

"Ah, right, that's what this town was called."

"It's at least a few hours by train, I wouldn't even know how much by foot…" Weiss came to a realization. "And you couldn't have taken a train from Atlas, right?"

"About a day and a half journey by foot." Elway said simply. "Not too bad, honestly."

"What do you mean? And you carried me all that time?!"

"I'm an adventurer, Weiss. Traveling by foot is usually the norm." Elway smiled, as if giving an obvious answer. "And besides, you're not too heavy you know. You could do to eat a bit more."

"Didn't anyone ever teach you to not comment on a lady's weight?" Weiss groaned. "And… traveling a day and a half by foot just to bring us to safety is still insane. How did you manage such a thing…?"

"It's honestly not much of an issue, I assure you." Elway said comfortingly. "It hasn't been the first time, and it certainly won't be the last. The most important thing is pacing, but I can guess that's not what you really want to hear."

"Right…" Weiss trailed off, still put off by how much endurance the man had. "Well… were you hurt after the Paladin?"

"Not at all." Elway confidently tapped his chest. "I'm confident in my strength, at least."

"Thank goodness." Weiss sighed, relieved. She decided to learn more about the man who helped her. "But… where did you learn to fight? You're not a Huntsman, but to take on a Paladin alone, you must have had some sort of training?"

"Yes, I suppose you could say that." Elway replied. "In terms of formal training, I haven't had any. I've had a number of teachers in different arts, but for the most part I've been self-taught, in a way."

 _Explaining Soul Crystals would be both draining and difficult. In the first place, I'm not even quite sure of how they work,_ Elway thought to himself.

"Hm…" Weiss pondered. "That doesn't say much… But that's fine, if you'd rather not talk about it."

"How about you then?" Elway asked. "Your weapon is interesting! I believe I've seen something similar a few times, but how does yours work?" He recalled the rapier being used with some sort of spell, and Alisae came to mind.

"Oh. Well, its-" Weiss put a hand on her person for the rapier, but didn't find it.

"Ah, it's in your room. I left it next to your bed. Don't worry about showing me, I've somewhat familiarized myself with it while we were traveling here."

"W-well, it's a MADR, or a Multi Action Dust Rapier called Myrtenaster. It has 6 chambers for dust cartridges that I can use with my glyphs, or use the dust itself for its elemental properties…" Weiss felt a bit silly explaining her weapon without it actually being present.

"Oh, so a weapon that can adapt to different situations on demand, amazing!" Elway grinned.

"Who are you supposed to be, Ruby?" Weiss giggled.

"Don't get me started on her weapon. It terrifies me how a girl of her size can swing that scythe…gun thing around so haphazardly." Elway chuckled.

"She does it pretty well, all things considered." Weiss concluded. "Especially being younger than the majority of Beacon students."

"Of course. She's quite something, isn't she?" Elway prodded.

"Mhm." Weiss nodded quietly. Elway could tell that Weiss missed Ruby and the rest of her team. Even without using the Echo, he could see the solitude she suffered. "One more question… Don't you have someone you care about waiting for you somewhere? Doesn't adventuring get lonely?"

Elway thought about his friends in Eorzea. Of course, while they were not always with him physically he would always treasure what he had with them. And he would come running if they ever needed him. He thought of the people of Eorzea he vowed to protect, and the many beast tribes he had formed bonds with. And lastly, he thought of Yugiri. He saw her smiling at him, even now. Still waiting for him.

"Of course, everyone feels lonesome sometimes." Elway said softly. "But adventuring is about meeting new people and experiencing new places. About forming new bonds with people you never would have met. So I am not always alone." He started fiddling with loose strands of his hair. "And yes, I have someone I love. For now, she is… away, but I will see her again one day." Elway wasn't sure, but if the heat on his face was any indication he was blushing. Weiss laughed a bit at his embarrassment.

"I see. Then I guess in a way, this whole… escapade could be an adventure." Weiss remarked. Elway smiled back at her.

"Right on the mark." Elway smirked. "Think of this as a new opportunity. You'll grow from this, I swear it."

"In that case, could I ask for your assistance?" Weiss asked with a smile.

"As if you needed to ask. I've been paid already after all." Elway laughed as he responded. He stood up, brushing his clothes of any wrinkles and placed a hand on his hip. "Elway Ryse, adventurer for hire, at your service."

Weiss laughed alongside him, standing up and giving Elway a playful curtsy.

"Weiss Schnee, member of Team RWBY and former heiress to the SDC. Charmed, I'm sure." She teased. Elway drew back in mock surprise.

"Of course, for the famous Team RWBY!"

The two smiled at each other, holding back laughter as they kept up their poorly performed act. Eventually, they sat back down sheepishly, drawing the amused attention of the other inn occupants.

"Well then, as for our objective." Weiss stroked her chin with two fingers. "I need to get to Mistral. That's where my sister, Winter is."

"And Ruby, Jaune, Ren and Nora." Elway added.

"Yes. The only issue is that travel in and out of the continent is fairly difficult due to the new laws." Weiss pondered. "I doubt you could help much with that, but having an extra head around to look for people to get us to Mistral will help."

"Fair enough. How about we start here?" Elway suggested. "The town may not be large, but there's a good chance someone may have a lead on travel. It would be difficult to limit _all_ travel in and out of the continent."

"Good idea. Let's get started, Elway."

 **Chapter 15 – Her Adventure**

 **A/N:** Alright, this is out a bit sooner than last time! This is less action-focused than the last chapter, but it's meant to be a break for the two of them. Getting to Mistral is one of the big goals of this arc! I'm trying to get a good grasp of Weiss' character, since she's one of the characters I enjoy seeing a lot in RWBY. Hopefully I'm doing a good enough job. Her dream will become important later, obviously. That's about it for here! Please review and keep me writing, it's always nice to see how you guys feel!


	21. Chapter 16

**A/N:** Hello friends, it's been a while (again). Once again, I'm sorry for the infrequent updates, but life happens. Recently it's been hard to get the motivation to write, especially with only a small amount of feedback. A new semester at university has started as well, so I may be uncomfortably busy. We'll see though. On a happier note, I can't wait for patch 4.1! It looks really good so far. Return to Ivalice soon! RWBY volume 5 will be releasing at a similar time, so October will be a fun month.

Anyways, here's the chapter!

 **Chapter 16**

 **The Town of Laden – Weiss**

"Can't help ya here, miss. Sorry."

The former heiress sighed, and muttered out a tired thanks to the shop owner.

 _This isn't working._

For several hours now she had been scouring the town for any hint of smugglers or airship owners who could help them leave the continent. So far, she had absolutely no luck. She checked a map, received from the owner of the inn. Laden was a fairly advanced town, and not having any vehicles to help them navigate was quite the detriment.

Weiss ruffled her hair under her hood, hiding her identity once again. It wouldn't do to get spotted by any SDC informants. She groaned and checked the time on a nearby clock. It was almost time for her and Elway to meet back at the inn. She sighed, having nothing to show for her efforts. Elway suggested she investigate the middle of the town, which seemed to be the more well-off part. He claimed that she'd have an easier time connecting with the citizens here, but she knew he was trying to keep her from the potential dangers of the shadier outer district.

 _It'll be a while before he can make it back from the outskirts of Laden. Maybe I'll try looking for him first?_

The map indicated that she was fairly close to the outer district of the town already. A short walk and she'd be there already.

"I suppose there's nothing else I can do for now." Weiss sighed to herself. She began walking towards the outskirts, mentally fatigued from the day's unfruitful efforts.

Unbeknownst to her, a suited figure watched her movements closely, closing their scroll.

 **The Town of Laden – Elway**

"Anything that needs a strong arm or a quick wit, I've got your solution, free of charge!" A man in red shouted on the streets of Laden. "Simply put in a request for tomorrow here!"

A gathering of people had surrounded the man, curious and excited whispers about the stranger who took up any odd job scattered throughout the streets. All in one day, he had already gathered a small following of children and satisfied merchants claiming that he was "the real deal."

Elway smirked to himself.

The first step of gathering information was to create a solid network, after all.

He smiled to the small mass of people, passing them a blank list for them to put their requests in. Among the crowd were small business owners, some children, random employees and a few suspicious men, possibly trying to involve him in something illegal.

 _Just what I was looking for._

Elway watched carefully as each of the suspicious men took the list, writing down contact information. He committed each of their faces to memory. The mob began to disperse as their requests were written down. At the very back of the crowd, Elway made eye contact with a pair of narrowed blue eyes.

A pale, hooded girl, tapping her foot. Who seemed to be somewhat irritated. She walked forward, each step conveying her irritation clearly.

 _Oh, seven hells. Did I miss our meeting time?_

"You missed our meeting time!" Weiss growled at him.

 _Ah. Knew it._

"Right. I apologize, but I was a bit busy." Elway could only bow his head apologetically. Weiss sighed, clearly tired.

"You're lucky I was coming to meet you, but oh well. What's done is done." Weiss shook her head softly. "More importantly, what's this? You're doing odd jobs? Don't we have more important things to attend to here?"

Elway motioned that she come closer, and spoke quietly.

"About that. I wasn't getting anywhere simply asking citizens about something clearly against the law. If anything, it seemed people would raise their guards around me. This is simply a way to find more potential leads."

"Well, okay. I can understand that much." Weiss nodded. "But won't it take time to get their trust and figure out who can help us?"

"Well, for that I have a task for you." Elway patted her on the shoulder. "There were a few suspicious people in the crowd just now. Perhaps one of them has the means to help us. Could I ask you to help me handle the odd jobs and watch any suspicious characters as they leave?"

"I see. So we can tell in advance if they have any means of transportation." Weiss concluded. "In particular, I suppose I should look out for any large compounds or hangars nearby?"

"Yes. That'd help us greatly. I am sorry to put you in potential danger, but you're capable. And you will be not be easily identified at the moment."

"You don't need to be concerned." Weiss said confidently, putting a hand on her hip. "Of course I can handle myself. Sounds like a plan."

"Alright then." Elway smiled. "We start tomorrow."

 **Laden Outskirts – Weiss**

"I-I swear I'll pay for the job-"

The man's sentence was cut short by Elway's fist colliding with his face, sending him flying into a dumpster at the back of the alley, instantly blacked out. Weiss could only shake her head as Elway turned around to address her.

"That's the third flop today, Elway." Weiss sighed. "Are you sure this will work?"

"It _has_ to. Otherwise we'll just be chasing our tails. Hell's bells," Elway cursed, slightly annoyed with the unfruitfulness of today's endeavors. "Do these men have no work ethic? Asking me to be their mercenary to kill off someone. If you've such a massive problem with them, do it yourselves!"

"Tell me about it…" Weiss digressed, also annoyed. "They could at least be subtle about it. They're not even trying to hide their selfish intent. How barbaric can you be?"

Elway kicked up a cloud of dust, frowning. He pulled up the list of people who had requested something of him. The next meeting with a suspicious character was in an hour. Enough time for a meal, he supposed.

"How about we settle down for a meal before the next?" Elway suggested with a smile. Weiss gave a relieved breath in response.

" _Please._ Between the requests we've been doing and the odd characters, I need a break." Weiss let her shoulders droop. Elway chuckled at her expense lightly. He closed his eyes as he smelled a delicious scent wafting from a nearby street. A quick glance told him that the scent was coming from a small café down the road. He recognized the place as one of the locations for a request earlier.

"Mmm. That smells great. Let's go there." Elway pointed out the café, and Weiss nodded eagerly, following suit.

"You know, you're quite the busybody." Weiss pointed out as they walked. "I figured it would have been easier to do those odd jobs halfway, but you made sure that each of their requests was satisfied to the letter. Minus the suspicious ones of course."

"But of course. Any job is worth doing well." Elway held up a finger, as if teaching a lesson. "And it will never hurt to serve those in need. You'll never know when the favor may come back around."

"True. I'm not used to it just yet."

"You'll get there, I'm sure." He gave Weiss a bright smile, pumping his fist.

An image of a girl in red smiling went through her mind.

 _They're really similar, now that I think about it._

"Of course I will!" Weiss smirked at him and brushed her hair back. She stopped in front of the open café door, peeking inside. "Ah, we're here."

The door opened abruptly, slightly startling the two.

"Oh, the two who helped up earlier today!" A motherly woman with brown hair in a ponytail greeted them. "Thank you again for helping us with deliveries, we've been shorthanded ever since those new laws have been driving people away from traveling."

"It's no problem at all." Elway bowed his head and laughed. "We're here as customers, this time."

"It would be my pleasure. Have a seat anywhere you like."

Elway and Weiss sat down by a window, observing the rather gloomy streets. A young waitress stopped by their table to place glasses and a pitcher of water down, and took their orders. The two discussed the various requests they had done throughout the day, until the owner of the café stopped by with their meals. She placed them down smoothly as their mouths began to water, and put down an extra plate.

"This one's on the house. Enjoy now!"

Weiss looked at the extra plate after thanking the owner, and a melancholy smile was instantly on her face.

 _Freshly baked cookies. Ruby would be ecstatic. I wonder how everyone is doing…_

"Is something the matter?" Elway asked, about to dig in to his food.

"Nothing, really." Weiss answered softly. "I guess I was missing my friends a bit." She carefully picked up her utensils, fiddling with them.

"I meant it when I said Team RNJR was safe, you know." Elway took a small bite of his sandwich. "I can tell they're worried about you as well."

"That's slightly reassuring." Weiss smiled wryly. "It's just…"

"Would you like to rest longer?" Elway suggested, food put to the back of his mind for now. "I can handle the rest of the requests for today."

"No, I…" Weiss' hands balled into firsts, tightly gripping her cloak. Her face twisted in frustration, at odds with herself. "Actually, I think I do. Thank you."

"Take as much time as you need."

"It's just…" Weiss mumbled. "About them."

"Is it about the circumstances leading up to your separation?" Elway prodded. Weiss only gave a small nod.

"I've never felt so powerless. When…" Weiss whispered, struggling to find the proper words. "When Beacon fell, I ran away. When we should have stayed together."

"You had no choice in the matter. You were forced back to Atlas."  
"Still, I could have done something!" Weiss countered. "With Yang, Blake, and even Pyrrha…"

"You mean the girl from Team JNPR?" Elway recalled the vision he saw with the Echo through Ruby. A girl who sacrificed herself for her friends. So that they may fight another day.

 _A hero._

"You knew about her?" Weiss' anguish was written on her face at this point. "None of us could do anything except for Ruby. And for that, I can't forgive myself."

"I know this may sound cold, but eventually you'll have to learn to live with it." Elway reprimanded her. "She gave her life for all of you. Do you intend to waste that sacrifice?"

"Of course not!" Weiss cried indignantly. "I just want to be stronger. I want to make a difference."

In response to that, Elway smiled brightly at her.

 _She said the same thing to her father. I know what I can do for her, then,_ Elway thought to himself.

"There you go." Elway ruffled her hair as she protested lightly. "Your life _will_ change."

"How do you know?" Weiss asked softly.

"For one, the first step to change is the will to do so." Elway stated firmly. "And secondly, I'll make sure you obtain that strength. I swear it."

"Huh? You mean…"

"I'll show you personally. Prepare yourself, Weiss." Elway punched his palm with a gloved fist.

"I do have confidence in my skills. Idealistic as it may be, I can teach you what it means to be a hero."

 **Chapter 16 – The Will to Change**

 **A/N:** And that's it for this chapter. I'm not completely satisfied with it, but I didn't want to leave you readers hanging. Here we have Weiss outing her insecurities, as well as Elway taking an active role in her growth. One part of the first arc I was not satisfied with was that Team RNJR didn't fight actively alongside Elway. Here I hope to change that with Weiss.

Honestly I'm hitting a big wall of writer's block at the moment. Again, it's hard to get the motivation to write with so little feedback. So please leave a review, even if it is short. Thank you for reading!


	22. Chapter 17

**A/N:** Hello, back with another chapter. We're a good chunk into this arc, and a side story may follow this one to talk about Elway's armory chest (it'll probably be a lighthearted side story).

Anyways, here's the chapter.

 **Chapter 17**

 **Laden Outskirts – Weiss**

"Stand!"

An order barked out at her. Something she had heard at least a hundred times today.

"There will not always be someone around to save you."

The man said strictly. Hearing those words said by her sister, almost word for word, she gritted her teeth.

"I know…" She whispered, the phrase he uttered making her feel anguish.

 _I'm still so weak._

From her collapsed position, she staggered to her feet slowly, one leg at a time. She glared at the figure in front of her with a poorly masked resentment. She took an offensive stance with Myrtenaster.

"You won't get anywhere without stamina. Your rest period is over." Elway said, leaning on his axe.

"Spartan." Weiss spat out breathlessly. Elway only offered her a shrug back, taking his stance with Bravura.

It had been a few days since their arrival in Laden, and the two had more or less acclimated themselves to the town. Unfortunately, since her identity was still a possible issue, their duel was held outside of Laden.

True to his word, Elway had decided to train Weiss. They had picked a day to free themselves of the many requests from the townspeople of Laden, which Weiss was beginning to enjoy doing, and spend some time sparring. Needless to say, it wasn't going well on Weiss' end.

 _How can I approach him? How do I break past his defenses?_

A charge forward. A glyph appeared behind him, below him, to his flanks. And one particularly strong one behind her.

She stepped off the glyph, augmenting her speed. Moving at a faster rate, she adjusted the dust chamber in Myrtenaster. The glyph under Elway activated, slowing his movements. His eyes narrowed, as if he were predicting this already. He took a _Heavy Swing_ slowly at Weiss, a movement she recognized from the many repeated defeats she had suffered at his hand.

 _Not this time,_ she claimed in her thoughts.

Instead of meeting his axe, she ducked under him and a blast of ice dust erupted at his feet, freezing him in place. His eyes followed her movements closely. Weiss touched the glyph behind him, jumping off of it with a flourish. Once again, she adjusted the chamber of her weapon. Elway began to break free of the time dilation glyph, regaining his freedom of movement and shattering the cluster of ice at his feet. Instead of charging recklessly, he stayed stationary to observe his opponent's next movements.

As she fell, she activated the dust in Myrtenaster, stabbing the rapier forward and sending a bolt of lightning at Elway. Having only a fraction of a second to attempt a dodge, Elway simply took the bolt head-on, letting out a bellow of pain. He brought Bravura upwards at Weiss, who blocked the swing midair. She was sent flying from the impact, but made a glyph midair to step off of, charging again at Elway who grinned at her approach.

The glyphs at his side activated, creating two walls of earth that threatened to crush Elway. In response, he _Infuriated_ himself, roaring and sending a sphere of his own rage out to crush the attack before it could meet him. A red glow came from Myrtenaster as Weiss slashed it at Elway from a distance, sending forth a bright wave of fire that forced him to block, the attack forcing him back several feet. His vision obscured, he looked around quickly to try and locate Weiss. Instead, a blast of ice aimed at his arm staggered him.

Weiss came at his other side Myrtenaster at the ready infused with lightning dust once more. She attacked him with a flurry of slashes, but none of them could cut very deep. Most of them were dodged or parried with his axe, even with one of his arms frozen.

 _Closer!_ She cried mentally, frustrated. _I need a range where his axe will be less effective!_

She rushed inwards, kicking his axe arm away with a spinning kick.

"Hah!" Elway cast his frozen arm out with a flex, shattering the ice. He gave Weiss a taunting grin. His blood began to boil in a rush, beginning to enjoy this round.

Once again she continued her flurry of attacks, but this time without his axe to defend him. However, Elway began to fight back. Not with Bravura, but with his freed fist.

A stab aimed at his chest was knocked aside, and countered with a strong fist to her core. And another, as well as a palm strike to her chest. She coughed violently, dropping her weapon and feeling her Aura weaken. She dropped to her knees, another defeat marring her pride.

"Gah!" Weiss cried out, clearly frustrated. "Damn it!"

"Ah, I'm sorry." Elway said somewhat nonchalantly. "I hadn't meant to go that far, but you were giving me a very good match. Your best one today, might I add."

"Oh my," Weiss began, voice dripping with sarcasm, "You are too kind."

Elway simply offered her a hand, which she took with begrudging respect. Even if his training methods were brutal, she had to recognize his strength. He must have been as strong, if not stronger than her sister. In fact, the man was monstrously strong. So she promised to learn as much as she could, even at the cost of her sanity. For now.

"I mean it!" Elway cried. "You used your glyphs and dust in a marvelous way. It was very creative. And the ending where you tried to disable both of my arms was a smart move!"

"Need I remind you that I still lost that round?" Weiss hissed, still a bit annoyed.

"It was still impressive. You use the tools at your disposal expertly. " He huffed. "I said the training would not be easy, you know."

"Yes, I am aware." Weiss sighed.

While Weiss did not quite understand what he meant by teaching her to be a hero, she appreciated that he was taking time to train her. Even with the task of getting to Mistral delayed, it was helpful to her. She wanted to change, and this was assisting her in achieving that.

"Let's return to town for now, that should be enough for today." Elway called out to her, taking a swig of a water bottle they had brought. "Next time we should work on your endurance. Ah, but I suppose more training is the last of what you want to hear about." He laughed heartily at her, as Weiss could only groan.

"Yes, you brute, haven't you heard of rest?"

"What does that mean?"

Weiss only glared at him in response, his straight face breaking into a relaxed grin.

"Alright, alright, awful joke." Elway's shoulders sagged. "Let's stop somewhere to eat before we return to the inn?"

"That's the best idea you've had today." Weiss said as she smirked at him.

 **Inn Room – Weiss**

She couldn't sleep.

Surprisingly, tired as she was, she couldn't sleep.

Part of it was frustration from the day, part of it was still thinking over strategies to overcome Elway.

And the last part of it was watching said man outside from her window, practicing with a weapon she had never seen him use.

 _Speaking of, where does he even get his weapons from? How do they just… appear?_

Either way, it really did seem like the concept of rest was unknown to him. It seemed like he was trying to recall images of techniques he had seen before, and imitate them with his weapon. She looked closely at the weapon in his hands.

A katana with a sleek, almost blue hue to its steel. A guard shaped like a single, sharp wing, and the handle covered in a yellow cloth. The sheath of the katana, snugly on Elway's hip, shared the same bluish hue to it, as well as a sharp edge near the end, reminding Weiss of a serpent's tail.

 _Beautiful,_ she thought. The weapon almost seemed otherworldly. As well as the way he used it, each strike slaying an invisible enemy. He unsheathed the sword in a grandiose attack, sending forth several slashes that scarred the ground. Elway seemed to mull over the strike after he unleashed it, possibly pondering if he had done the technique correctly.

After a moment of consideration, he re-sheathed the blade and began to make his way back to his inn room. Weiss decided quickly that she'd meet him before returned and lecture him about getting rest. And perhaps get some answers to questions she wanted answers to.

 **Laden Inn – Elway**

Elway sighed as he climbed the stairs to his inn room clumsily, eyes closed in exhaustion. Practicing the techniques of a weapon he didn't fully understand yet was quite difficult. Even if he did imitate Gosetsu to the best of his ability, the techniques felt incomplete. It would help if he had a soul crystal, but he did not possess the soul crystal of a samurai yet. He ran his hand along the sheath of the katana on his waist wistfully. Even after promising her to learn, mastery of the weapon felt far off. He stopped at the top of his stairs, sensing someone there. A girl cleared her throat, alerting him to her presence.

"Weiss?" Elway asked, finally opening his eyes. Just as he thought, she stood in the opening of his door, arms crossed.

"You really should be sleeping." Weiss admonished him quietly. "Training, instead?" Elway nodded at her.

"I could say the same to you. Were you watching?"

"That's right." Weiss un-crossed her arms, gesturing to the sword on his hip. "That weapon…"

"Ah, this?" He removed the weapon from his person, holding it out for her to see. Weiss noticed that there was an unusual amount of care in his gaze. "It was a gift, from a dear companion. It would be a waste to keep it idle."

Weiss admired the blade, examining it carefully. Upon closer inspection, she noticed a tear in the gloved hand that presented the weapon to her. Carefully, she grabbed Elway's hand. She felt the torn material, seeing a shallow cut that matched the blade of Myrtenaster.

"Elway, how did this happen?"

"That's from our spar earlier. During that last round, remember?"

"That's not what I mean." Weiss' gaze became worried. "Your aura should have healed you already. Or blocked this completely."

Elway groaned, his free hand nervously going to the back of his neck.

"I don't have one."

"WHAT?!" Weiss cried, momentarily forgetting it was the middle of the night, with other patrons still sleeping. "Then all this time, you've been…"

"I don't need it, Weiss." Elway put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Let's just say that it's never worked for me."

"Even so, that's not an excuse!" Weiss stomped lightly, angry at herself for not realizing sooner. And angry at him for not saying anything.

"I'll be fine. Stop your worrying and get some rest, alright?"

"How can I not worry when you've been putting yourself in danger with no aura?"

Elway began to hear the stirring of the other inn residents, and gently guided Weiss into her room. She fumed, but quieted down upon realizing his intent. He carefully sat her down on her bed and stood at the doorway, arms crossed.

"You've seen that I'm capable of handling myself without an aura." Elway sighed as he explained. "I understand why you are worried, but please trust me. I will be fine."

"I… I know, but this is a rare case." Weiss replied, somewhat ashamed of her outburst. "To be a fighter of your caliber without it? It's unheard of."

"There's a reason for that." Elway stated calmly. "But before that, you really should rest. Tomorrow may be busy, and if not, we'll be training again."

"But…!" Weiss protested, clearly still worried.

"No further arguments." Elway sternly cut in. "Do _not_ make the mistake of underestimating me."

Weiss flinched at the tone of his voice. Of course, this was the man who had trounced her in a fight for almost the entire day. Suddenly she found the floor unimaginably interesting, unable to look directly at Elway.

"You're right. I apologize." Weiss' hands gripped the edges of her bed tightly. "Please do take care of yourself, though."

"Same to you." Elway offered a small, honest smile. He opened the door again, leaving quietly. He turned with a small nod. "Good night."

"Good night." Weiss repeated softly.

 **Laden Inn – Weiss**

Weiss drank slowly from a cup of tea at the inn lobby impatiently. The reason being, Elway was sleeping like a log when she came to check up on him. Upon waking him up, he followed her to the door of his room, then quickly slammed the door quickly and locked it. When she argued that it was time to get up, he answered lazily, "10 minutes."

"Unbelievable, that man…" Weiss whispered under her breath. She did understand to a degree, between helping her train and dealing with a bulk of their requests, as well as training himself at night time, he had only small periods to rest.

The lobby door opened, though Weiss was not paying attention. In the background was the sound of the inn owner enthusiastically greeting the visitor. She heard the heavy sound of footsteps approaching her, and looked to the source.

Weiss gasped, her body entered into a fight or flight response. Her hand dropped her tea rapidly, and she prepared herself to draw Myrtenaster.

Approaching her was the suited figure of a young man. A man bearing the SDC uniform.

"Ms. Schnee, you're finally alone. May I have a word?"

 **Chapter 16 – Path to Isolation**

 **A/N:** And that's the chapter. A moderate cliffhanger here. It's a small headcanon of mine that the WoL isn't very talented at actually training people and instead prefers to beat the snot out of them and help them grow that way. Weiss' fighting style is pretty challenging to capture in my opinion, so I hope I got that right. Also, she figures out that he lacks an aura! As people in the RWBY universe seem to rely on it to absorb a brunt of damage (and she doesn't know he is from Hydaelyn yet), it seems like Huntsmen and Huntresses would fear fighting without an aura.

Also, the katana that Elway is using (that he received from Yugiri in Side Story 4) is the Ruby Tide Uchigatana. I sorta retconned the appearance of the katana here (though I didn't describe the katana in SS4 very much) as it would be fitting for Yugiri to give him the Ruby Tide Uchigatana. The reason why is in Stormblood, if anyone hasn't played it yet.

Next update will either be a side story or the next chapter, continuing directly from here! It should be out fairly soon, but university has been kicking my ass, so no promises.

Please leave a review; I love to hear from the readers! See you next time.


	23. Chapter 18

**A/N:** Hello everyone.

First of all I'd like to apologize for the story being on break for so long. I really did not like the outline I had for this arc and I kept on trying to change to direction in a way that satisfied me. In the end, university caught up to me before I could find something that I was happy with. By the time the semester ended, I had less motivation to write.

However, I recently re-read the story from the start and received a very encouraging review this week, and I am ready to begin again. I hope that I can meet everyone's expectations once again!

( _ **Also**_ , I'm interested to know how everyone liked volume 5 of RWBY? Personally, I enjoyed it but it really took the spotlight off of Ruby, the main character, as well as not having a lot of focus on characters I wanted to see more from. The twists were pretty interesting, as well as the final major fight scene. Let me know how you guys felt!)

 **To tryal-leaf:** Thank you very much, I was honestly very moved by your review. I've taken a break from writing due to other factors but your review encouraged me to start soon as I could. I'm very glad you enjoy the story so far! Elway has a lot of jobs that he can use, among the ones you've already mentioned he also has PLD (which has gotten a few small references here and there) and a few more that will see some use in the future. For now I won't mention them to keep the mystery alive, but one of them is probably obvious. He will also learn SAM, since the story will cover him post-SB.

As for your last question, yes I do have an over-arching plot in mind! It hasn't become completely evident yet, but the climax of this arc should make it a bit more clear.

Alright then, let's get this show on the road!

 **Chapter 18**

 **Laden Inn – Weiss**

"Ms. Schnee, you're finally alone. May I have a word?" The young man in the SDC uniform asked soothingly.

Weiss, remembering where she was, released her grip on Myrtenaster. It wasn't the time or the place. That didn't stop her words from being coated in venom.

"If you're here to bring me back, it's useless." She whispered harshly. "I won't return to that monster of a father."

"Ms. Schnee, please hear me out. It's not what you-" The man reached a hand out in a peaceful gesture.

"What do you mean, 'it's not what I think'?!" Weiss smacked his hand away, tired of acting docile. "Enough of this, leave me be!"

The sound of a door slamming cut off the man's next thought before he could vocalize it. The sound of boots dragging over the wooden floor made Weiss turn around to look at Elway, his tired red eyes making eye contact with her. He glanced at the man, whose eyes were still looking pleadingly at Weiss.

"Hm? Do you have business with my companion?" Elway grunted, still groggy.

The SDC employee looked at Elway, and in an instant his eyes widened in fear.

"Y-you're the man that almost killed the President!" The man shouted, drawing attention to the group. He backed away, clearly in a panic.

"What?!" Weiss cried out, confused.

"Seven hells, both of you!" Elway groaned, their voices piercing his ears. "You're disturbing the other patrons. Calm yourselves, and let us discuss in a more private place."

"I'm not going ANYwhere with him!" The young man shouted, his voice cracking slightly, pointing at Elway. The crack in his voice made him even more nervous, and he made a move to run.

"You're coming, whether you like it or not." Elway's fist tightened as he looked down on the man. "You've got questions to answer, if you've come for her."

"But-!" Weiss began, but was cut off by Elway's pointed glare. Weiss sighed and relented. "Fine. I can at least hear you out. Let's go to my room for now."

"T-thank you, Ms. Schnee." The man nervously responded, and followed the two into Weiss' inn room.

 **Laden Inn – Elway**

The three walked into the room, and the growing tension became quickly apparent as Elway locked the door quietly as soon as the man came in.

The man jumped upon hearing the sound of the lock turning. He cranked his head to look at Elway, eyes widened like a cornered animal. Elway snorted.

"Don't get your undergarments in a knot. I won't do anything to you." Elway gave him a half-hearted smirk. "Weiss, on the other hand…"

Weiss was fuming, fists clenched in frustration. She looked ready to snap at any moment.

"Start. Talking." Weiss began to tap her foot impatiently.

"R-Right away miss!" The young man squeaked.

Elway pulled up a chair to sit in, but his vision began to blur, and a familiar ringing sound pierced his ears.

 _Ah, the Echo. This will be helpful._

Immediately as his vision cleared, the foggy memories of the SDC employee appeared in front of his eyes. The figure of a short, mustached man was the first thing of note, and then Elway noticed the man in the white suit standing over him, presumably about to strike.

"Klein, you treacherous TRASH! You thought I wouldn't find out?! How dare you undermine ME to help that daughter of mine." The booming voice of the SDC president oppressively rang out as he struck the shorter man in the face. "Throw him in the correctional facilities! If he's not sorry, he WILL be."

Guards appeared to drag away Klein, who only looked down, not willing to instigate anything else and make the situation worse.

The SDC employee looked to Jacques, who still seemed to be furious.

"What are you still doing here?!" Jacques snarled. "Make yourself useful and get out. You'll be performing Klein's duties while his behavior is _corrected._ "

The young man nodded and bowed in response, and left the room. The door was cracked open slightly, and the young man peeked through to see Jacques speaking with someone, who couldn't be seen through the crack in the door.

"Go on then. Tell me more about these _eikons_." The SDC president hissed as the memory began to fade.

 _Gods damn it all,_ cursed Elway in his mind. _The aetherial signatures related to the Ascians… They're here._

As Elway's senses began to return, he shook his head to ward off the accompanying grogginess that came with the Echo. He noticed the SDC employee was still explaining his case to Weiss, who now looked somber instead of indignant, as she was before.

It was clear why her mood shifted so suddenly. Even though the SDC employee went on and on to explain how Jacques' tyranny had only gotten worse since Weiss left, Weiss seemed to be fixated on the fact that one of the only people she considered family was now imprisoned. Helping her.

"Weiss." Elway called out softly. She and the SDC employee turned to Elway, surprised at him speaking up. "Er, if I'm correct, your… family was imprisoned."

Weiss only gave a slow nod in response.

"That's not all of it!" The young man shouted. "It's the rest of the SDC as well who are being abused by the President!"

"So, you need Weiss to return and convince her father to stop?" Elway took an intimidating step forward. "Or, do you mean for her to be a sacrifice, a doll to quell her father's rage? Someone for him to blame, and punish appropriately?"

"N-no! Of course, I want her to speak to her father! I wouldn't ask her to come back if it was only going to have her end up the same way." The young man retorted, offended.

"Good. Because if we find out otherwise, you'll wish you never came for her." Elway threatened. "Weiss, this decision yours to make."

"Elway, it's obvious that I can't go back. It might only make things worse for them." Weiss answered weakly. "I don-"

"I'm going." Elway interrupted her. "You do not have to accompany me. But I have my reasons now."

Weiss was frozen in shock.

"What reasons could you have to go back?" She began. "Do you really mean to kill my father?" Weiss recalled the dream she had, of a man holding a huge sword over her father's neck. Was it reality?

Both Weiss and the employee looked expectantly at Elway. The young man looked at him with fear in his eyes. Weiss looked at him with a thinly veiled apprehension.

"So you did see me, that night. It was a moment of anger on my part." Elway sighed. "It is not my intention to kill him. But I've… 'heard' something from this man. For my own reasons, I need to stop Jacques Schnee. I need answers. Again, the decision is yours."

Weiss gave a sigh and shook her head with a weak smile.

"I want to go. I want to save Klein and the others." She stated with conviction. "And if you're going, I can't let you do this alone."

"Wait, what did you mean you 'heard' something from me? Did I say something weird? I promise I'm not planning anything!" The young man panicked.

"Calm yourself." Elway patted him roughly on the shoulder. "It isn't something you 'said,' really. Are you familiar with the term Eikon?"

The young man had a flash of recognition as Elway said the word.

"Wait, the President said that too. What does that mean?" The young man's eyes narrowed at Elway. "And how did you…?"

Both Weiss and the young man looked at Elway, who stood up with determination.

"I'll explain on the way." Elway punched his fist into his hand. "Let's get on with it. Do you have a name, boy?"

"Um, yes." The employee hesitated, still nervous to be around Elway. "It's Maus. Sir."

"A little late to be acting formal. We're cooperating now, so there's no need." Elway stretched his hand out. "As you've probably heard, my name is Elway."

Maus took Elway's hand and shook it weakly. Elway gripped the younger man's hand with force, causing him to squeak in pain. Elway gave him a taunting grin, and chuckled at his expense.

"Come on now." Weiss reminded the two. "Let's get going. How did you arrive here?"

"An acquaintance of mine is a cargo pilot. He's waiting on the outskirts of town for us. He can get us most of the way to Atlas, but we will have to walk from his ship garage. It won't be far."

As Maus finished explaining, Weiss sheathed Myrtenaster on her hip, and Elway tightened his gloves with a confident smirk.

"Alright. Let's do this." Weiss said with assurance.

"Hah. Someone's motivated." Elway gave Weiss a smirk.

"Look who's talking." She gave a similar, taunting smirk back.

The three walked out of the inn, and began to make their way to the outskirts of the town to meet up with Maus' acquaintance.

 **Cargo Ship – Weiss**

"So, could you tell me about what Maus did to make you go after my father? You said… what was the word?" Weiss prodded Elway, who was sitting uncomfortably in the back of the cargo ship. Maus was in front, talking to his pilot friend.

"Eikons?" Elway answered slowly. "Yes, I did say I'd explain. Ah, where do I begin?"

"I suppose telling me how you did that?" Weiss suggested.

"As you wish." Elway leaned on the wall of the ship softly. "I guess you could call it a power of mine. I can see into the past of others. It's called the Echo."

"That would make sense." Weiss nodded. "Is that part of your sembl-"

Weiss' head snapped to look closer at Elway.

 _Wait…_ she thought to herself.

"Wait, you can't have a semblance. You have no aura!" She exclaimed.

"Yes, I was getting to that." Elway sighed, as if he had explained it hundreds of times. "You see, I'm not from Remnant. I'm not of your world, so the things you know as common sense do not apply to me."

"What?! Elway, that's crazy talk." Weiss shook her head. "That's just not possible."

"I could go on and on about my original world, but have you ever wondered how I made it from Anima to Atlas?" Elway questioned. "How I've survived fighting so long, not having an Aura? Seven hells, Ruby is of 15 years, and she has an aura."

Weiss put her head in her hands, still not quite believing him.

"But how?" Was all she could manage to say.

"It's odd, even for me. There was a portal, I suppose you could call it. That lets me traverse worlds." Elway responded. "You heard me and Maus speak of the term, 'Eikon,' correct? 'Primal,' is another word for it in my world, Hydaelyn."

"Where are you going with this?"

"I saw it through Maus' memories. Your father was speaking to an unknown figure, but I can guess what that figure is already." Elway clenched a fist. "They spoke of eikons, or primals, but the details were not part of Maus' memory. Eikons are beings of magic, gods, even. And if your father speaks of them, he's collaborating with an enemy, likely from my world."

"This is… a lot to take in." Weiss sat down shakily. "I don't know if I can believe you, still…"

"Ah, fine." Elway shrugged.

Elway reached a hand out, holding a red crystal with an axe symbol on it. The crystal changed, and in a flash of light he was holding a black crystal, with a massive black sword in his other hand. The same sword that he held against her father, she noted. He summoned forth another crystal, and now a pair of weapons appeared on his fist, in the shape of lions. Another flash of light, and he held a light blue crystal, and a white shield with a gold emblem in his other hand.

"Wha… huh?" Weiss looked to and fro, looking for signs of the weapons he discarded. "How?!"

"In my world, these are called soul crystals. They allow me to 'change,' if you will. Memories of warriors passed are engraved into these, and they allow me to both learn their skills, and carve my own into the crystal. They only work when a crystal resonates with a person. Try it."

Elway tossed the crystal to her, and she clumsily caught it. She looked over it again and again, but could find no trick to it. She tried to press it or find some button, anything, but to no avail. Weiss meekly passed the crystal back to Elway.

"Do you see now?" Elway asked.

"From another world… really?"

"I've also used my power on you, if you've yet to believe me." Elway remarked. "It wasn't on purpose, mind you. Remember when I told you there would not always be someone to save you?"

"So it was on purpose… the same words my sister said!" Weiss exclaimed, the pieces coming together in her mind now.

"Yes, I… thought they'd motivate you." Elway sheepishly said.

Weiss looked into his eyes directly. Years of being lied to by her family, by rich associates of her family had taught her to recognize obvious signs of lying. She could find none of them in Elway's honest gaze.

"You're really telling the truth…" Weiss gasped. "You're from another world."

"Took a bit more to convince you than Ruby and the others." Elway laughed. He gave her a smile, not one of his taunting smirks, and she smiled back on reflex. "With this, I've nothing else to hide from you."

 **Chapter 18 – A Decision Made**

 **A/N:** There it is, my first chapter in a while. Elway comes clean with Weiss, and they go back to the place where they escaped from in the first place. Almost to the climax of the arc here.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it, everyone. I can't promise when the next chapter will be since this semester is incredibly busy. I'll do my best to get it out soon.

Please review, it's really one of the things that motivate me the most when writing.

Once again a big thank you to tryal-leaf for the first review in a while!


	24. Chapter 19

**A/N:** Hello everyone! At the moment, maintenance for patch 4.2 is underway but by the time this chapter is released it'll have been released already. Can't wait to revisit Doma and do Sigmascape!

The final battle of this arc is approaching! It should be next chapter. Now, for reviews!

To **unnoticed reader** : Thank you for holding out hope! I hope that you'll continue to enjoy the story from here on! And I will do my best on both the story to live up to your expectations and my studies, thank you!

To **tryal-leaf:** I definitely tried to get the chapter out soon as possible (especially since the semester hasn't gotten too busy yet), and you're very welcome, though I should be thanking you! And yes, the Ascians are like that, we'll be seeing more of them! Thank you for encouraging my studies as well, and I hope that you enjoy!

Onto the chapter!

 **Chapter 19**

 **Atlas – Elway**

The group of Elway, Weiss, Maus and the pilot now stood on the outskirts of the city Atlas. It was in the afternoon, and the city seemed to be operating as usual. However, the issue of getting into the city without being discovered by the guards still prevailed.

"This is as far as I go, unfortunately." The pilot shrugged. "Can't risk getting my ass caught here with whatever you're planning."

"You've done more than enough. Thank you again." Maus bowed informally to his friend. Both Elway and Weiss gave the pilot a polite nod as he began to walk back to his ship.

"I suppose you have a way back to the Schnee residence then?" Weiss questioned. "How do we get there without being caught?"

"I've heard you two used an underground passage when you were escaping Atlas, correct?"

"That's right. Walts, the owner of the bar had us use it." Elway confirmed. "But that's within the city, is it not?"

"Yes, that's the one." Maus smiled confidently. "Walts is a friend of Klein, and since I'm one of Klein's allies in the SDC he's given me keys to some of the underground smuggling passages. One of those leads to the basement of the Schnee residence."

"Perfect." Weiss' impatience was present in her voice. "That doesn't explain how we can get into the city though."

"For that, we can use my semblance." Maus smirked as he pointed at himself with his thumb. As if on cue, he disappeared from sight. "Invisibility, if you couldn't tell. I can apply it to objects and people close to me, but I must focus hard for it to be used on others." His voice rang out from seemingly nowhere. For an example, he touched Elway's hand and it became invisible.

"Quite nice. And fitting, may I add." Elway gave a soft clap and a chuckle. Similar to the Rogue's guild's technique. "No offense, of course."

"None taken. A friend of mine always said I was like a mouse."

"So how is this going to work? We huddle together around Maus while he gets through the gate and the guards normally?" Weiss pondered.

"Exactly, Ms. Schnee. Let's make this fast."

Elway and Weiss put their hands on Maus' back and smiled as they felt the effects of his semblance activate, seeing themselves disappear. The followed him to the gate, where guards simply asked for an ID.

"Here you go, sir." Maus gave the guard his scroll. Elway grinned, recognizing the guard as the captain from the day he broke into the city. The captain grunted, and tossed his thumb back in a rude gesture to get in.

The narrow gate made the three squeeze in tightly, and Maus' veins started to bulge on the side of his head, the semblance adding a burden onto his body from prolonged use. Elway squeezed his shoulder lightly, as if to say "hang in there," and Maus nodded weakly in response.

"You alright there?" One of the guards asked, genuinely concerned.

"J-Just fine sir." Maus said, attempting to speak normally. The guard came closer to inspect Maus, whose breath was held, face beginning to sweat from the prolonged stress.

"Hm. Alright then." The guard stepped back, leaving him alone. "Come on already. You just get back from business for the SDC? Been hearin' nasty things about em' lately."

"Yes. I must get back to my duties now." Maus all but choked out, walking stiffly to the direction of a Dust warehouse. The group walked silently, matching footsteps and carefully evaded the vision of guards until they came upon the warehouse they were looking for.

As soon as the door to the warehouse opened, the three rushed in, slammed the door and Maus de-activated his semblance. He instantly fell to his knees, gasping for air and clutching at his chest. Weiss put a comforting hand on his back, and Elway produced a potion for him, passing it to him to drink.

"Gah…ha…. Damn, that was truly a nightmare." Maus coughed violently, bringing the potion to his lips. "I apologize, I'm not used to that."

"On the contrary, thank you." Weiss smiled as she corrected him. "You put your wellbeing on the line for that, and you held up fantastically. Good work."

"It had to be done." Maus shook his head. "No thanks are needed. I'm not sure if I can keep up with you two anymore, I'm afraid. I'll only hold you back at this rate."

"Worry not." Elway put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You've done enough. Leave the rest to us."

"Maybe not enough." Maus' gaze locked with Weiss'. "I will make it to the Schnee residence as soon as I am able. And when I do, I'll do whatever I can to free Klein, and whoever else has been imprisoned from the correctional facilities. I swear."

Weiss looked overwhelmed for a bit, her face showing a mixture of emotions.

"Thank you… really, thank you." Was all Weiss could say.

Elway and Weiss began running to the end of the passage, wordlessly. Their eyes showed a fierce determination, each for their own reasons. Upon seeing a glint of light, they sensed that they were near the end of the passage.

They came upon a door that lead upwards, and Elway turned to Weiss.

"Are you prepared?"

"Of course. Let's go, we don't have any time to waste."

Elway slowly opened the door to the basement. The bright lights of the basement room overwhelmed their vision momentarily, but their eyes quickly adjusted to find the basement room barren. Devoid of any resident, which seemed to surprise Weiss.

"Something's off." She pointed out. "This is where some of our researchers test and examine Dust. But there's no one."

"Do you think it's another trap of sorts?" Elway questioned, suspicious.

"No, I would think they would ambush us here if it really was a trap. And that wouldn't explain why all of the Dust from the area is gone."

Quietly, the two began to search the room for any signs of movement. Elway ran his hand across an empty table, checking for anything off.

Weiss checked a storage closet, only to find dust cartridges that could be used for Myrtenaster. She quietly loaded her weapon with dust, and looked to Elway.

"Did you find anything?" She asked softly.

"Nothing out of the ordinary." Elway responded. "We should move, and look elsewhere.

The basement provided no information, and the two moved to the hallway from the basement stairs. Peering carefully from a corner, Weiss still didn't see anyone in the hallways. It wouldn't have been odd to see some servants moving from room to room, but the manor was dead silent.

"What's going on here…?" Weiss muttered. "Maus said that my father had become even more tyrannical, but that doesn't explain the _complete_ lack of servants…"

"Then, let's go straight to him." Elway suggested daringly. "If there are no guards or anything of the sort, we can settle this directly."

"Usually I would be a little more cautious, but I can understand the feeling. Let's go." Weiss beckoned for Elway to follow her, intent to go straight to her father's office.

The two climbed the stairs, a tension growing in the air. Both of their hands rested on their weapons' handles, Weiss with her hand on Myrtenaster, and Elway touching the handle of Bravura, ready to draw them quickly. Weiss came upon the door to her father's office, and hesitated. She felt an uneasiness in the pit of her stomach, the kind that she learned as a child when not to disobey her father.

As if Elway could sense the uneasiness from behind the door as well, he put a comforting hand on her back. He made brief eye contact with her, nodding slightly before putting his other hand on the door. His gloved hand turned the knob slowly, and the grunt of a bothered man shattered the silence hanging in the air.

"Who's disturbing me?!" The roar of Jacques Schnee rang out from the office. Elway's eyes took on a dangerous quality, and he slammed the door open, making himself known.

Upon entering the room, both Elway and Weiss grimaced. Several books and papers littered across the office. Upon further examination, Elway gasped. The texts on the papers were Eorzean in nature. What's more, they seemed to discuss something familiar to Elway. Dravanians…

"You… and Weiss!" Jacques shouted ferociously. Weiss' father now hardly resembled himself. His hair unkempt and messy, his facial hair now growing into a beard. His usually pristine suit was now unbuttoned and wrinkled, most likely from not changing. And his face betrayed a stress that could have only appeared from staying awake, likely from reading the Eorzean texts. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"We're here to stop you!" Weiss retorted defiantly. "We heard what you've done to the SDC, and it's time someone intervened!"

"You _scum_ …" Jacques hissed painfully. "First you almost MURDER me, now you decide that I'm not fit for the SDC? NONSENSE!"

Weiss looked somber as Elway stepped forward.

"Maybe I should have finished you then." Elway cut in darkly. He picked up one of the books from the ground. "Where did you get these texts? Was it a person in a dark hood!?"

"You again… you goddamned PEST!" Jacques slammed his messy desk, sending papers flying everywhere. His growl turned into an unhinged laugh as he grinned maliciously at Elway. "Yes… that's right. **He** said you would come. And that I would have my chance for vengeance. All this time, ever since that night, I've studied these… EORZEAN texts. All for the sake of killing YOU!"

Upon hearing his outburst, Weiss stepped forward to confront her father. Unnerved, Jacques pressed a remote, sounding off an alarm that shrieked throughout the manor halls. The bustling of guards could be heard from the ground floor, beginning to make their way to the office.

"I'll show you… I'll show you BOTH." He sneered at the two.

Weiss rushed forward, drawing Myrtenaster, prepared to stop her father.

However, a purple mass of darkness appeared between her and Jacques. A mass of darkness Elway knew the origins of.

Out of the mass of darkness floated a dark, cloaked figure with a red mask, and a cruel grin. He held up a single hand to stop Weiss in her tracks. She uttered a single confused gasp, before the figure grabbed her by the head and threw her against the door, breaking it in the process and sending her out of the hallway.

"I knew you would be here, **ASCIAN!"** Elway roared, drawing Bravura. He took a single step that shook the foundations of the floor, the force blowing back the mass of texts in the office. The Ascian simply grinned at him as it simply grabbed a hold of Jacques and teleported away quickly, traces of both of them gone.

"Hahaha… so close, Warrior of Light." The Ascian's voice rang out, before the last traces of darkness disappeared from the room. "Come to the factory if you truly desire to stop us."

Weiss ran back into the room, ready to fight but the Ascian was already gone.

"Elway, what was that? What did it just say?!" She cried out, still confused.

"An enemy." Elway said through grit teeth. He realized she couldn't understand the Ascian because she lacked the Echo. "We have to stop them, now. He said to come to the factory?"

"It's close, right outside the manor and into the city!"

The cry of guards interrupted her answer, as they arrived at the hallway and moved to capture them.

"It's them again!" Shouted the voice of one of the guards, one that Elway assumed was from the night they escaped.

The guards pointed weapons at both of them, but Elway and Weiss only glared at them. They nodded at each other and brandished their weapons. In an instant both of them rushed at the crowd of guards with their weapons, carving a path.

"GET OUT OF OUR WAY!" They screamed at the same time, rushing through the myriad of guards.

Several of the guards were knocked out instantly, their auras shattered from the attack, and the remaining ones held back in fear, not willing to stop them. Elway and Weiss ran through the manor to the door quickly, knowing that the guards wouldn't be able to do anything to stop them.

 **Schnee Dust Factory – Elway**

After escaping the manor and coming to the door of the factory, Elway instantly knew something wasn't right. The factory seemed to be at a standstill, no activity at all. Wordlessly, he nodded at Weiss and burst through the door to the factory, Bravura drawn.

What they saw stopped them in their tracks.

Death. Several groups of bodies, some cloaked in the SDC uniform and some in the factory uniform. A pile of bodies was at every step, every machine, either the life sapped out of them or killed by some manner of dust experimentation. Some were recognized as researchers from the barren basement. Weiss also saw some bodies of abused Faunus workers, wounds from either the abuse or an execution.

Among the bodies was Dust, dust in enormous quantities. All over the factory. The same that researchers had been looking at, as well as the dust produced by the factory. Most of it in crystalline form.

Weiss choked back a sob, her free hand going to her mouth instantly to try and suppress the urge to vomit and break down into tears. Elway's eyes closed, muttering a quiet prayer. His fist clenched, hard enough for his gloves to tear. Weiss noticed a single, alive body near the entrance of the factory. She rushed instantly to the unconscious, but breathing person and her eyes widened at seeing who it was.

Her brother, Whitley.

She didn't know if she should have felt relief, but she did. Even if he was a bastard of a brother, he didn't deserve this. None of these people in the factory deserved any of this, but their lives were stolen.

"JACQUES!" Weiss cried out, rage and sorrow for the slaughtered powered her voice. "SHOW YOURSELF! How could you do this!?"

As if on cue, the same dark mass appeared again, and the Ascian stepped through the portal, standing in the middle of the factory, Jacques in tow.

"Well, Warrior of Light? How do you like it?" The Ascian jeered with a taunting sneer. "I'm sure this seems familiar, does it not? After, all, death is what follows a hero."

"Why do all of this Ascian?!" Elway shouted. "For what purpose did these people die?!"

They couldn't be trying to summon a primal. There were no crystals here… but….

"I'm sure you know." The Ascian jeered, now speaking a tongue that everyone in the room could understand. "This resembles Baelsar's Wall, does it not? All that remains is a source of aether."

"And for that, we have plenty." Jacques finished. "Our friend here has informed me that Dust, in crystal form, can produce an energy like magic. Aether, he says. Furthermore, he said that all it requires is a bit of experimentation and he can make it replicate the effects of crystals."

"Stop this! The people of this world should not have to suffer the threat of a primal!" Elway ran forward with Bravura raised overhead. "Especially not one created through so much despair!"

The Ascian once again intervened, this time casting a _Slow_ spell onto Elway.

"Not so fast, Warrior." The Ascian laughed. "I think you'll quite enjoy the irony of this. The primal that we intend to summon is based on a story you must know. From Dravania, a great wyrm pledged itself to a life of solitude after its beloved passed… one that will thrive in this cold land!"

Elway growled in frustration and anger,

 _He means Saint Shiva's beloved. A primal of him?_ Elway thought in anger.

"You would use his visage for a being of destruction? Bastard!" Elway ran forward despite the slowing spell, as the Ascian only laughed wickedly in response.

He prepared a massive _Fire IV_ spell to launch at Elway, but Weiss used a time dilation glyph to nullify the effects of the previous spell on Elway. The Ascian clicked his tongue in annoyance in response, and changed his target from Elway to Weiss. He launched the fireball, but Weiss created a shield using ice dust to protect her from the spell. The spell hit the shield with a loud explosion, instantly shattering it. Weiss was blown back from the force of the fireball, but created a glyph midair to step on and return.

Elway, now free of the _Slow_ spell, struck at the Ascian with a _Butcher's_ _Block,_ slashing multiple times at the mage. The Ascian grunted, not severely injured, and formed a blade of ice on his hand to combat Elway at close range. He tried to stab at Elway, but Elway effortlessly parried the move with _Raw Intuition_ , seizing the Ascian's hand with his axe and spinning around as if at the _Storm's Eye_ , before raising his axe high and slamming it into the ground, shattering the concrete floor and causing the Ascian to cry out in pain, the attack creating a visible wound. Elway pressed the advantage and used _Holmgang_ , a chain shooting out of his hand to seize his enemy in place.

Weiss moved swiftly, Myrtenaster's chamber spinning to fire dust, and slashed several times at the Ascian, waves of fire radiating off of the rapier. The Ascian raised its arms to block, and teleported away, leaving an _Ice_ spell that absorbed the attack and escaping the binds of _Holmgang._

"You're too late." The mocking voice of Jacques Schnee rang out. "Fools, you should have paid attention.

Jacques held an odd crystal. Weiss instantly identified it as a mixture of several different kinds of dust. And a type of crystal she wasn't familiar with. The kind they must have been experimenting on. Suddenly, aether from all of the bodies in the factory began to flow towards the crystal, as well as the crystallized dust.

"That's part of an aetheryte!" Elway shouted, gesturing to the crystal. "How did you get your hands on that?!"

"Fool, you were the one who brought it here after all. It was found in your belongings after you escaped the city, in a crate." Jacques explained coolly. "And now, I'll use it to bring your downfall."

"NO!" Elway shouted, running towards Jacques, still holding the crystal. He was too far to reach with his axe, however.

"I SAID IT WAS TOO LATE!" Jacques bellowed. "With this, I'll kill you and teach that disrespectful daughter a lesson! I'll show all of you TO NOT DEFY ME!"

A burst of light threw everyone in the vicinity back, including the unconscious body of Whitley. The walls of the factory shattered, unable to contain the force of the emerging primal.

Jacques' voice boomed, and Elway's heart sank at the words that he uttered.

"I SUMMON THEE, HRAESVELGR!"

The flash of light burst once more, and from it emerged a set of huge feathered wings, a maw of jagged teeth and a dragon of pure white.

 **Chapter 19 – Death is what follows a hero**

 **A/N:** And there's the chapter! Elway and Weiss confront Jacques and the Ascian (whose name will be revealed later) and the 'final boss' of the arc appears in a primal version of Hraesvelgr.

I used Hraesvelgr here to really bring a close to Heavensward, as I really wonder how strong he was at his prime. He also fits the solitary feeling of Atlas, so I hope everyone looks forward to the final battle of the arc. Next chapter may take a while, it's probably going to be long.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope to hear from you guys! Please remember, reviews keep me going strong.


	25. Chapter 20

**A/N:** Hello everyone! How are you enjoying patch 4.2? In my case, my FC has acquired a new, large plot and I've cleared a good chunk of the new content that's come out. Still workin' on Sigmascape V3, haha. I won't spoil any story details, although that could change for the side stories in between arcs.

 **To tryal-leaf:** Thanks for your review as always! Hraesvelgr had been planned to be the 'boss' of the arc for a while now, and while he is sort of an odd choice, I like how it turned out. Jacques simply wanted something powerful that not even he knew of (being an entrepreneur), and the Ascian reeeally wants to get under Elway's skin, so you're definitely on the mark on that end. And, agreed on him keeping better track of his stuff, haha!

Now, onto the story!

 **Chapter 20**

 **Atlas – Elway**

The cocoon of light burst, revealing the primal copy of the great wyrm Hraesvelgr. His visage was similar, yet showed a few differences from the wyrm that Elway knew so well. Whereas the original's horns were curved, the primal's were straighter. Where his mouth should have been softer, resembling an old man's tired beard, the primal's mouth was jagged and menacing.

Overall, while his colors and wings stayed true, he resembled Nidhogg in the ferocity of his appearance. _Was it due to Jacques not knowing Hraesvelgr properly, and only through texts?_ Elway wondered in his head, steeling himself to protect Weiss from being tempered. _Or is it due to the Ascian lying to Jacques, telling him that Hraesvelgr is a wyrm of destruction, like his brother?_

Either way it could now be suffered to live. Not to wreak havoc onto this world.

The primal roared, sending shockwaves that forced Elway and Weiss to brace themselves. The shockwave also blasted Jacques into the destroyed wall of the factory, instantly knocking out the company president.

A dark portal manifested, and the Ascian appeared once more, but in front of Jacques, placing a hand roughly on the unconscious body of the president and teleporting away just as swiftly. Elway scoffed at the two, they could wait.

Hraesvelgr, or rather the primal version of him, spread his wings as he roared, and took flight, once more sending out powerful waves of force that kept the two grounded. Elway grimaced, following the primal with his eyes, before Weiss shook him out of his focus.

"Elway… what WAS that?!" Weiss asked, voice shaking. "It was overwhelming…"

"A primal. I should have done more to prevent this." Elway shook his head, teeth grit in frustration. "I must go after it, immediately."

"Are you insane? You'll get killed!"

"This is my duty, Weiss." Elway's tone gave away his sheer anger. It was obvious that he was serious, and he would go, risk of death or no.

The sound of an approaching Bullhead interrupted their conversation. The ship landed messily, and through the doors burst out a tall, middle-aged man in a military uniform.

"General Ironwood!" Weiss exclaimed, running towards him. "Are you here because of what just happened?"

"We rushed here as soon as we saw the flash of light, and only caught a glimpse of… whatever that thing was, flying away!" Ironwood explained. "What are you doing here Ms. Schnee, and who's this?"

"I-It's a long story, but my father is behind this." Weiss tried to find her words. "I came here to stop him, and this…"

"My name is Elway. It's my job to stop that monstrosity." Elway cut in for her curtly.

"That… _dragon,_ " Ironwood guessed, still shaken, "is supposed to be stopped by you? Alone? What is it supposed to be?"

"You can worry about the how of it elsewhere, and some other time!" Elway claimed, running a hand through his hair in anger. "For now, lend me your ship."

Ironwood crossed his arms, regaining some of his composure.

"Why should I do that? How am I supposed to trust this random stranger who appeared in my city, claiming he can take on a dragon that huge by himself? Moreover, you may be putting Ms. Schnee in danger."

Weiss outstretched an arm to cover Elway, as if protecting him.

"Elway's not like that! I did this of my own will. And," Weiss looked over at Elway, whose surprised gaze made her feel a bit satisfied. "He's right. Please, General. WE will put an end to my father's designs."

Ironwood sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Fine. But only on the condition that I can question _him_ when you return." Ironwood stretched an amicable, gloved hand out to Elway. "Deal?"

"As you wish." Elway took the hand firmly, noting the feel of steel beneath the glove.

"One more thing…" Weiss rushed back into the ruins of the factory quickly, coming out with the unconscious body of Whitley in her arms. "Can you take care of him for now? He's probably been at father's mercy since we've been gone."

Whitley stirred as she spoke, mumbling weakly.

"Someone… anyone, stop father…" Whitley blacked out just as he mumbled those words.

"Yes… of course." Ironwood took Whitley from Weiss' arms, and ordered his men off the ship. "Do you know how to pilot a Bullhead, Ms. Schnee?"

Weiss nodded at him, as if it was obvious.

"I promise we'll send support as soon as possible." Ironwood continued, bowing slightly to the two.

"Your concern is unnecessary. I won't need your support, and it is better to leave as many bystanders out of the way as possible." Elway retorted abruptly.

 **Atlas Mountains, Bullhead – Elway**

Soon after departing from Atlas as quickly as possible on the Bullhead, the air between the two was tense. Elway stood behind Weiss as she piloted the ship quickly, following his directions as to where the wyrm went.

As they rocketed towards the direction Elway pointed out, the silhouette of the wyrm appeared into the distance, still obscured somewhat by the clouds.

"There. Quickly, now. I can't tell if it's trying to find something, or find solitude…" Elway advised as Weiss followed his orders. "Can you get me above and ahead of it?"

"It's possible, but it'll be rough." Weiss confirmed.

"I only need a moment. Thank you."

"Elway, I'm going too."

"Weiss, that's reckless. You don't know what this primal is capable of."

"Even so!" She shouted, not wanting to feel like a burden. "I can't sit here and do nothing. Part of this is my responsibility too, for not stopping my father. All those lives lost, I won't let anything like that happen again! So please, let me help!"

Elway shook his head at her thick-headedness. These children really were capable of becoming heroes, no doubt about it. He looked at her fiercely determined eyes and sighed, relenting.

"I only ask that you'll stay safe. I will engage the primal first, so you must keep yourself at a distance unless I order you to do otherwise. Is that clear?"

"Understood. I'm speeding up now." Weiss focused on the Bullhead controls as the ship sped up, slowly gaining altitude and gaining on the primal.

As the ship sped up, Elway clutched a blue soul crystal to his heart. The soul of a Dragoon. He couldn't have guessed that he would need it again so soon.

In a flash of light, his usual Scion Adventurer attire disappeared. As Weiss turned around, she saw Elway standing in a dark blue set of armor, resembling dragon's scales. The helmet was clearly modeled after a dragon, the visor not yet pulled down as she made eye contact with the adventurer. And on his back, instead of his usual axe, was a large, two-pronged spear of blue, a small tassel adorning it before the blade. Brionac.

Her jaw dropped, this was nothing like his casual, slightly insensitive demeanor. He was ready to kill.

"Are we ready, Weiss?" Elway's voice snapped her out of her stupor, as she noticed they were in the position he requested.

"Y-yeah." She nodded meekly. Was she really ready for this? Either way, she opened the door to the Bullhead as Elway looked out to find Hraesvelgr. "Don't die, okay?"

"Haha." Elway's usual smirk appeared on his face for just a moment, laughing at her sudden reclusiveness. "No promises." He teased. Elway pulled the visor down onto his face, the red eye markings on the helmet becoming apparent now. He vaulted himself onto the roof of the Bullhead, the wind rushing past his face.

Elway spotted Hraesvelgr's form flying throughout the air, and prepared himself, holding his spear perpendicular to the ship.

 _Prepare yourself, primal._

The roof of the Bullhead shook with a mighty force, as Elway _Jumped_ , soaring through the sky and aiming for the flying wyrm. He began to descend at incredible speed towards to dragon, who barely noticed the dragoon. Elway brought his spear down with a battlecry, slamming it onto the back if the wyrm with a _Spineshattering Dive_. Hraesvelgr roared in pain in response, and tried to fling the dragoon off of its back.

The force of the attack disrupted the primal's flight, as it's frame weakened Elway drove his spear further into the primal, sending it crashing towards the ground at breakneck speeds. Elway fell with it, spear still embedded into Hraesvelgr, determined to drag it to the ground. They crashed to the ground in a spectacular uproar, sending chunks of earth and snow everywhere, clearly marking the landing area.

Elway took his spear out as the primal roared in pain once more, and whipped around on the ground to attack him. It locked onto Elway with its eyes, now assessing the threat. It roared to intimidate Elway, but he was undeterred. Elway simply held his spear with two hands in a battle stance silently, knowing that this was far from the true and wise Hraesvelgr.

This was no more than a beast.

The dragoon dashed forward, twirling his spear with his _Impulse Driving_ him. He stabbed forth into the primal's neck, but was blasted back by a blast of holy energy from Hraesvelgr. The wyrm opened its mouth to send for a stream of light that aimed for Elway. Elway walked forward calmly and twirled his spear to block the blast, and spun around to _Disembowel_ the primal's throat. The spear landed true, drawing forth a stream of blood. He followed up with a _Chaos Thrust_ , slashing his foe and piercing the wounds to make the wound bleed even more.

Hraesvelgr's jaw came for him as he attacked once more, snapping at him, but it found no mark as Elway back flipped in an _Elusive Jump,_ prepared for the attack.

 _An attack like that won't be nearly enough to be a decisive blow._

Elway roared, the sound of his bellows becoming akin to a wyrm, as he released his _Blood of the Dragon_ , a blue illusionary wyrm surrounding him with a similarly blue aura. Hraesvelgr flew forward quickly, trying to spear him on its horns, but Elway responded by dodging to its flank, simultaneously uppercutting the wyrm's side with his spear and piercing through its hide, imitating a dragon's _Fang and Claw._

 _Jumping_ once more, he brought his spear down onto the wyrm's head. The primal only roared again in response, this time stomping with a blast of holy magic added, causing the surrounding area to be bathed in an holy spell that blasted Elway, causing him to cry out in pain. Not yet deterred, he removed his spear, _Elusive Jumping_ once more but throwing an aetherial copy of Brionac at the wyrm, a _Piercing Talon._

 **Atlas Mountains – Weiss**

Meanwhile, Weiss landed the Bullhead quickly and broke out in a sprint towards the battle.

"Please be okay, please be okay…" The girl muttered under her breath, anxiety gripping her heart.

She came up a valley in the middle of the mountain range, marred by the landing of Elway and the primal, Hraesvelgr. And in the distance, Elway fighting fiercely, spear to talon with the mighty wyrm.

"ELWAY!" She shouted, creating a glyph to rush over to their battle. She stepped off of it quickly, and created a summoning glyph close to Elway. The glyph spun and spun, before bursting with an explosion sounding like the breaking of glass. Out of the glyph came a large white knight, who kneeled before her. She commanded the knight to go, and it rushed forward at the dragon, swinging wildly. The knight slammed its weapon into the back of the wyrm, who roared in response.

Elway, now seeing the Weiss clearly, gave her a proud nod, though his helmet hid his smile. The knight continued to hack at the dragon as Elway took advantage of the wyrm's rage and _Heavily Thrusted_ his spear into the face of Hraesvelgr, following it up with a _True Thrust_ into the wyrm's eyes.

Weiss spun the chamber of Myrtenaster quickly, switching it to an ice cartridge. She activated the dust alongside a glyph, and created several icicles to launch at the primal. Each of the projectiles struck true, freezing several of the dragon's wings.

With that, Hraesvelgr spun around fiercely, whipping its tail around to blow back Elway and the knight, and break Weiss' focus. It flapped its wings multiple times to shake off the frost, and roared once more deafeningly, forcing the two combatants to cover their ears.

"Careful Weiss!" Elway shouted over the roar. "It's about to fly into the air!"

The primal jumped after shaking the ice off of its wings, and in its place, small clusters of holy light appeared in its place.

"Holy sprites. Weiss, take care of those!" Elway shouted, jumping up into the air after Hraesvelgr. The sprites seemed to lock onto her, slowly floating towards her with violent intent.

Weiss prepared Myrtenaster as her knight steadied itself once more. She spun the chamber of Myrtenaster, landing on lightning dust and creating a glyph under the knight. The glyph activated, speeding it up and she ordered it forward.

The holy sprites cast a few holy bursts of energy that battered against the knight, who stood stalwart in front of Weiss. It swung its massive sword out, hitting a sprite and shattering it instantly. Weiss followed up this action with a swift stab through another sprite, shouting furiously as she activated the lightning dust to send a bolt of lightning through the sprite.

Meanwhile, Elway was on the primal, spear pierced through and holding on while it tried to shake him off. Elway drove the spear further into Hraesvelgr, grunting as the violent thrashing grew worse. Elway _Jumped_ once more using the primal as footing, and floated above the primal for a moment, before being consumed by his _Blood of the Dragon_. He let out an inhuman roar, and the blue aura exploded into life before surrounding his spear. He thrust downward, the aura becoming one with his strike and let out a huge _Geirskogul,_ a mirage of a dragon rushing towards the primal and piercing through it, cutting its flight short. Hraesvelgr began to fall towards the ground as Elway swiftly followed, spear still at the ready.

Elway landed gracefully, a mist of snow being kicked up from his descent. Weiss rushed to his side, the knight behind them menacingly. Hraesvelgr laid on the floor, unmoving but not dissipated into aether.

"Is… is it over?" Weiss asked cautiously.

"Not yet."

True to Elway's words, Hraesvelgr's became consumed with light. A flash blinded the two, before a cold blast threw them both back. Elway gasped, his eyes detecting something… or someone, he would have never thought to see again.

There stood an Elezen woman in front of Hraesvelgr, her features icier than he remembered. Her skin was a pure white now, and her hair a frosty blue. But it was the visage of his friend. Or perhaps, the visage his friend tried to desperately to copy.

Ysayle, or Saint Shiva. Either way, Elway's features betrayed his despair.

 _Was her legend so closely tied to Hraesvelgr that she was summoned as well? Must fate mock me for my weakness again?!_

Elway punched the snow-covered ground with a gauntlet-covered hand, face twisted in frustration. Weiss shook his shoulder, shouting something he couldn't hear while the newly arrived foe floated, and in a burst of light, touched the fallen Hraesvelgr. As they made contact, the two seemed to meld together, their aether combining.

In their place stood the primal form of Saint Shiva covered in a holy aura, now bestowed with a series of white wings. Shiva, and Hraesvelgr united once more.

 **Chapter 20 – Dragonsong**

 **A/N:** Oh boy, another cliffhanger. Sorry about that, it's just that this whole fight would have been very long if I didn't split it. Shiva appears due to being so closely tied to Hraesvelgr, and the real fight begins! Also, I apologize for the wait; it's been getting busier at university again. I hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you next chapter. Please leave a review!


	26. Chapter 21

**A/N:** Hey everyone, new chapter time. I should probably mention that Elway's using the Dragoon AF2 as well as the accompanying lance (the same from the Heavensward trailer), if it wasn't obvious. I probably didn't detail it well enough so this is just for clarification. In addition, DRK questline spoilers ahead! Also, O7S is a pug killer. I NEED A BREAK AAAAAAAAAAAA-

To **phuxeds:** Yeah, I feel like the WoL picking up Dragoon for Heavensward makes a lot of sense because of the setting and primary antagonists. Especially against Nidhogg, the cutscene against him in The Final Steps of Faith looks great as a Dragoon. As for the job change, you'll see in this chapter!

To **Guardian Mikey:** Fun fact, I was listening to Oblivion while writing this chapter. It's so good. And I definitely see the WoL as someone who goes toe-to-toe with Primals, so I definitely made him more melee-centered. He DOES have one ranged job, which will probably come up in a Side Story, and he'll eventually learn Red Mage. This conflict will also show a bit more of the grey morality of Primals. And I'll definitely put up a notice if there's a need for more adventurers in the story!

Onto the chapter!

 **Chapter 21**

 **Atlas Mountains - Elway**

The newly formed combination of the two primal stood before Elway and Weiss, calmly observing what Elway's move would be. The Warrior of Light slowly rose to his feet, Weiss following after and putting a hand on his shoulder firmly.

"Elway!" Weiss exclaimed worriedly. "Are you okay? You're…"

Elway put a hand to his cheeks, and felt a faint wetness. Ah, so he was crying. After seeing almost a mirror image of his departed friend, maybe it made sense. He gave a slow nod to Weiss, drying his eyes softly.

"I will be fine. I appreciate your concern." Elway slowly took Weiss' hand off his shoulder, and faced her. "That thing that has appeared… maybe it is a phantom of an old friend. She was someone who was brave, determined, and a bit too hard-working for her own good. She was… like you, if I had to compare."

Weiss drew back in surprise. Before she could respond, or even act, Elway turned around again, giving her a sad smile as he began to walk towards the primal. The smile nearly broke her heart. It was so forlorn, so lonely.

Elway stopped a few meters short of the new primal, who still floated regally in the same place as before. It gave him a somber look, as if it knew who he was. And maybe she did. Was it as Ysayle, or was it as Shiva, he wondered?

 _I will never forgive myself for not protecting you and Haurchefant. There was so much to be said, so much life to be lived._

"I can't save you anymore." Elway choked out in a half-sob. "So allow me to put this phantom to rest."

The primal seemed to acknowledge him for just a moment. While it didn't speak, it bowed to him respectfully. Its grand white wings folded for a moment, and Saint Shiva shone through for just a moment. Elway's red eyes widened. He clutched a dark soul crystal once more, before opening his mouth to speak. The abyss stirred inside of him.

 _So quickly do you become a weapon once more, Elway._

 _Shall we answer death with death, yet again?_

"I'm sorry. This is all I know. Killing is all I am able to do." Elway responded to the abyss, nodding to the primal somberly.

In a flash of light, a dark aura surrounded Elway once more, and the same great sword Weiss saw in her dream was in his hands once more. Deathbringer. Only this time, Elway was clad in a black and red armor, terrifying in appearance. His normally red eyes glowed even brighter, making eye contact with the primal.

Both him and the primal readied themselves, both entering a battle stance.

"Weiss. Stay back this time. Please."

The girl only nodded at his back, still shaken by how desolate he seemed.

Elway dashed at the Primal silently with sword in hand. He prepared a projectile of dark energy in his other hand, launching it at Shiva with a jump into the air, an _Unmend_ ing spell. Shiva's white wings enveloped her for just a moment, the magic bouncing off of the wings harmlessly. Elway _Plunged_ down, sword-first onto her wings, breaking her guard.

He followed up with an uppercut onto her exposed body, but the cut was shallow. Shiva summoned a sword made of ice that emanated holy magic, due to Hraesvelgr's aether. She slashed at Elway, who brought up Deathbringer in a quick guard, and kicked at the Primal with a _Low Blow._ The strike did not faze Shiva, who only responded with a swift slash of her sword, _Icebrand,_ which sent out several blades of ice that pushed Elway back. The cold bit into his armor for a moment, but he shook off the feeling just as it came.

 _Come on now, Elway. You know what must be done. Enough holding back._ The abyss chided him.

"Be quiet, Fray…" Elway muttered.

Elway charged once more, sword raised overhead. He did a _Hard Slash_ downwards onto Shiva's sword, shattering the weapon. He used the momentum to twirl, performing a _Spinning Slash_ that threw the primal off balance, and _Power Slashed_ downwards with a growl while blasting Shiva with a burst of dark aether. The blade cut deep this time, but Shiva was still not deterred.

Shiva swiftly created a staff of ice, and assailed Elway with a hail of holy magic and icicles, causing him to bring his blade up in a block. While he was blocking, Shiva transformed her staff into a bow of ice, and took aim. The snow under Elway's feet became ice, and Shiva let loose a holy _Avalanche_ , pushing Elway back further, knocking him into the ground several feet away despite his defense. Elway felt the holy magic sapping his aether away, grunting as he stood up. He saw Weiss in the distance about to run and help, but he held up an assertive hand, stopping her in her tracks.

Shiva flew towards Elway, another sword in hand. A small glacier formed from the tip of the sword, which she launched at Elway. He responded by slicing the mass of ice in half, and prepared to meet her charge.

"COME!" He shouted, before being consumed by his _Dark Arts._ He raised Deathbringer once more, and slammed it to the ground, creating a wave of darkness, _Dark Passenger._ The attack blinded Shiva briefly, but did minimal damage. The opening was all Elway needed as he _Plunged_ once more into Shiva, this time digging deep into the body of the primal. He leapt up and slashed down, _Souleater_ tearing into the primal.

Shiva let out a yell in pain, before her wings once again unfolded and she flew into the air. She once again formed a bow of ice, this time shooting out a barrage of icicles, _Glass Dance._ The projectiles spread out in a wide area as Elway tried to block, but a few of the icicles embedded themselves into Elway's armor, drawing blood. He let out a cry of pain as the ice pierced him. Elway staggered back and leaned on his sword momentarily. He gazed up at Shiva to assess the situation quickly.

In the next second, he outstretched his arm, casting a spell towards Shiva. A ball of aether quickly slammed into the primal and expanded, becoming a mass of dark spikes that pierced the primal in return, _Abyssal Drain_. Flight interrupted, the primal began to fall to the earth, and Elway quickly dashed towards it, brandishing his sword once more. As the primal neared the ground, he slashed quickly twice, _Syphon Striking_ at her and stealing a portion of the primal' aether. He used the aether to fuel his _Dark Arts_ once more. Shiva crashed into the ground, stunned momentarily. The abyss goaded Elway.

 _FINISH IT!_

The _Dark Arts_ surrounded Elway's blade, and he slashed twice upwards, each strike sending forth a wave of energy that carved everything in its path, before slashing down a final time with a roar, the final slash shaking the earth and leaving a massive wound on Shiva. _Carve and Spit._ The primal screamed from the pain, and cast an ice spell that created several pillars around her, separating the two combatants. With a cry, Shiva began to fly again.

The surrounding area suddenly became unbearably cold, a blizzard began to form. Elway's eyes widened upon realizing what was about to happen. He began a sprint towards Weiss, who was about to be caught in the attack. She looked confused, cold, scared.

 _ELWAY!_ The abyss roared. _You fool, look after yourself!_

Holy magic began to surround the area in addition to the blizzard, markings reminiscent of Nidhogg's _Final Chorus._ The blizzard, and holy magic grew in intensity as Elway continued to sprint towards Weiss. Weiss, seeing him come closer, ran towards him as well.

"SILENCE, FRAY!" Elway retaliated furiously. "I WON'T ALLOW ANYONE ELSE TO DIE IN FRONT OF ME!"

The attack was about to be completed. Shiva's _Diamond Dust_ combined with Hraesvelgr's magic. Elway reached out for Weiss, and tackled her in a protective embrace. He used _Dark Mind_ and covered the two with a _Shadow Wall,_ but he didn't know if it would be enough to protect them both.

"Elway?!" Weiss cried out in surprise. "What's-"

"Stay down Weiss!" Elway ordered fiercely.

The _Diamond Dust_ activated, and everything froze. Simultaneously, the holy magic exploded, all of the sigils activating and bombing the area. Elway tried to let out a bloodcurdling scream, but he was still frozen. Thankfully, Weiss was only frozen and unharmed. The explosion of magic continued, and Shiva made a move to shatter the ice.

 _I won't be defeated, no matter the cost._

 _Weiss will be defenseless against the primal if I fall here._

 _So… I leave things to you, for now._

In that moment, Elway became _Living Dead._ The abyss responded to him softly, but this time it was not Fray.

… _In Blackest Night…_

Suddenly, a dark shield surrounded Elway and Weiss, right as the ice shattered. The holy spell exploded a final time as well, right on top of Elway. Now free of the ice, he let out a cry of pain and collapsed soon after.

 **Atlas Mountains – Weiss**

Weiss couldn't believe what just happened. She had never seen such destruction wrought from one attack, let alone expected that she would survive relatively unharmed. Her friend, on the other hand…

"ELWAY!" Weiss shouted in horror, seeing him collapsed onto the ground. She made a move to check his vitals, and was about to put her ear to his chest to make sure that he was alive.

As if predicting she would, a plated hand stopped her.

"We'll be fine. I don't know how he pulled it off, but that last shield saved the both of us. Otherwise, we would be much worse for wear." Elway's(?) voice rang out, though it had a noticeable roughness to it. "Calm yourself. The primal's still alive."

Weiss made eye contact with Elway. His eyes glowed an unnatural and deep red. He had a dark aura surrounding him, and the way he carried himself as he stood seemed reckless and harsh. He swung that huge sword a few times, as if to test it out.

"I'm not the Elway you know." The person stated matter-of-factly. "You can call me Fray, _Walking Dead_ , Darkside, whatever you'd like. Just stay out of the way or else Elway will make a fuss."

"…What happened to Elway?" Weiss questioned, slightly intimidated.

"Resting a bit, I suppose?" Fray shrugged, rolling his eyes at her. "He let me take the reins this once, so that he could protect you. Be grateful, _child._ "

The darkside said the last word mockingly, inviting her to challenge his statement. Weiss only looked down in self-admonishment, not having the will to deny him. Fray turned around, facing the wounded primal once more. He pointed Deathbringer at Shiva, who was floating far above in the air with white wings.

 **Atlas Mountains - Elway**

"I tire of this charade." He said simply. His _Darkside_ aura flared up, and he launched several _Abyssal Drain_ projectiles that struck Shiva on her wings. The projectiles all exploded, spearing the primal several times and once again falling to the ground. Fray followed up with a _Dark Passenger,_ sending a wave of dark aether to assail the primal and make sure it stayed down. Fray walked slowly to the falling primal, with each step his murderous intent grew. He stopped at Shiva's now barely moving body. Her wings were torn, and she had several wounds from when Elway was in control. However, she almost seemed at peace. Shiva made eye contact with Fray, and mouthed a single phrase.

 _Thank you._

 _Foolish,_ thought Fray as he raised his sword. Thanking him for ending the primal's life? Was the true personality of Saint Shiva so strong that it was in control even now? Even as a primal summoned through such sick methods, it retained the "good" in Saint Shiva. Or maybe, just maybe it was someone else.

Deathbringer began to fall, aiming straight for Shiva's neck.

 _For the second time,_

"Goodbye, Ysayle." Elway whispered with a broken voice from within Fray, as his blade felled the primal. Shiva gave a small nod to Elway as she began to fade into aether.

"You're too soft, Elway…" Fray muttered to his other self. He looked to Weiss, who fell to her knees in relief that the battle was over. He began to walk over to her, but gasped when he sensed the aether in the air shift.

He stopped in his tracks and readied Deathbringer once more, but before he could ready his wounded body, a huge bolt of lightning collided with his chest, and the dark portal of the Ascian appeared once more. And out of the portal, walked out the figures of both the Ascian and Jacques Schnee.

"You told me he would be dead, Ascian!" Jacques demanded unpleasantly.

"If the primal could not finish the job, I will." The Ascian responded with a twisted grin. He readied another spell in his hands, but the cry of someone behind him broke his focus.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Weiss came barreling from her original position from behind the Ascian, using glyphs to accelerate her movement. She slammed into the Ascian, running him through with Myrtenaster. She used her momentum to spin around and deal a kick to the side of Jacques' temple, knocking him out cold, making him fall to the ground. Weiss spun the chamber of Myrtenaster, and with the rapier still embedded in the Ascian, activated a cartridge of ice dust to freeze him.

"You nuisance…!" The Ascian backhanded Weiss, now focusing on her. He floated towards her, prepared to end her life, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

From behind, a _Low Blow_ hit the Ascian, sending him to the ground and he heard a scoff from the Dark Knight, now standing.

"You thought that if we were wounded, you could defeat us?" Fray mocked, Deathbringer slung across his shoulder. "Even if I can't use the blessing of light to its full potential like Elway can,"

Fray readied Deathbringer, and dashed towards the Ascian.

"I'm more than enough for an Ascian like you."

He slashed straight the Ascian, cutting its body in two. The temporary body of the Ascian began to fade, but Fray knew that he couldn't permanently kill the Ascian like Elway could.

"Damned… Warrior of Light." The voice of the Ascian rang out from beyond. "Remember my name: Mitron, for I will be the one to put an end to you."

"We'll be ready for you, bastard." Fray called after the voice, planting Deathbringer in the ground. He turned to Weiss with a smirk. "Good one, there. You've got the proper instincts of a warrior."

"I don't know if I should be happy about that, coming from you." Weiss answered unsurely, still not quite set on her opinion of Fray. "But I've been wanting to do that for so long." She gestured to the unconscious body of her father.

"About that…" Fray started, gripping Deathbringer. "Weiss. It's up to you; we can put an end to Jacques Schnee now. Make him answer for his crimes."

"Kill him…?" Weiss whispered quietly.

"He is responsible for not only ruining your family's life, but for the lives of countless innocents, is he not? It is now or never." Fray spoke harshly. "Justice demands no less."

Weiss drew back upon remembering the factory and all of the innocent people killed for the sake of summoning the primal. But she couldn't help but feel that something was wrong about all of this.

"Maybe you are right, Elw… No, Fray." She began, clenching her fists. "But I don't know if I should be the judge, jury and executioner. If I should bring even more death, when so many have lost their lives already in all of this."

Fray only gave her a sad look, and Weiss did not know if it was truly him or Elway.

"I see." Fray could only nod, stance becoming weaker as he began to fall.

 _Not to bring even more death…_ Elway whispered from within.

Elway's body began to fall, as Fray released his hold on his body. The effects of _Walking Dead_ began to fade. His black and red armor changed into his usual attire, and unnoticeably, a small crack appeared in the Dark Knight Soul Crystal.

Elway passed out on the spot, before being caught by Weiss. She held his unconscious body close, whimpering quietly. Her heart shook upon hearing everything today, and seeing the burdens he bared.

"What have you been through, Elway?"

She stayed like holding his body for a while, before a Bullhead came into her field of vision and landed in the destroyed remains of the battlefield. Ironwood stepped out, and sighed in relief upon seeing Weiss relatively unharmed, and Jacques passed out. He ordered a few soldiers to come over and help, as Weiss clutched Elway's body protectively.

 **Chapter 21 – Dragonsong Part 2**

 **A/N:** And there's the final fight! I was a stressing out a bit on how to get this done properly, but I think it turned out okay. The combination of Shiva and Hraesvelgr is supposed to feel similar to Nidhogg's Estinien transformation, but I tried to make it more Shiva focused. Also, Fray takes over for a bit; I did say earlier that I wanted to put in hints of the DRK 60-70 questline, so here we are. He's in the DRK AF1 for this fight, and obviously still using Deathbringer. Also, "Living Dead" here makes Fray take over whenever Elway is incapacitated, which I think works quite well thematically for Dark Knight.

Hope you enjoyed, and please leave a review to let me know what you thought. See you next chapter!


	27. Chapter 22

**A/N:** Hello, back with another chapter! This is (finally) the conclusion of the second arc! After this will be a few side stories while I work on the outline of the third arc. Most, if not all of them will have Stormblood spoilers up to 4.2, so beware!

To **Ijustwannahelp:** Thank you so much for the detailed review! And before I go on, please don't feel the need to apologize, I very much appreciate that you put in so much effort in the review, and you've even brought up points that I have problems with regarding the story so far. I do definitely feel like I haven't utilized the setting as much as I could have, and fitting all of those skill names into fight scenes feels odd to me even now. I'm going to do my best to try and address these, and the third arc especially should fix these problems. Also, I do really enjoy writing about Elway and Yugiri! There will definitely be more. I won't spoil anything further about the story, but I hear you loud and clear! Thank you again, I love constructive criticism like this!

 **To tryal-leaf:** Yes, I'm super happy to get more feedback! I miss the Heavensward cast too, I at least hope to see more of Estinien or something. Also, he does need a healer to help him out but at least he's not dead! In the next arc, Elway will likely be a certain DPS job, although it won't be Dragoon this time so you'll get to see more of that. And right? DRG is crazy fun at 70, Nastrond is such a cool ability.

Thanks again to those who reviewed! Onto the chapter!

 **Chapter 22**

 **Atlas – Weiss**

Weiss sighed into the crook of her arm wistfully, head laid onto her personal desk and half-asleep. With nothing to do, she only passed the time slowly until the time of day she was waiting for. The Schnee manor was awfully quiet, as of late.

Two days had passed since their encounter with the primals Hraesvelgr and Shiva. As per their agreement, Ironwood took Elway for questioning, with some aggressive protesting from Weiss. Ironwood had promised that he would take care of Elway, and that Weiss could bring him back in two day's time. Now, all she was waiting for was the notice to make her way to Ironwood's office.

"Ms. Schnee?"

Weiss perked up instantly, head swiveling around quick enough to make her neck hurt. She spotted the figure of Maus, waving politely to her.

"Oh, it's just you." Weiss sighed again heavily, with a slight tease in her tone.

"How rude!" Maus responded, a hint of a smile on his face. "Waiting on the notice from Klein?"

"Yep." She confirmed, popping the 'p.' "Just checking in?"

"Yes, the other servants are a bit worried. With the Pres- Er, Jacques imprisoned, they were wondering if you were okay."

"I'll be fine. He's going to be in prison a long time, and that's not what I'm anxious about." Weiss played with strand of her hair, tied in her usual side ponytail. "What I'm worried about is Elway. Who knows what's happening to him right now…"

"I think he'll be alright." Maus said contemplatively. "He's quite strong, and he helped Atlas out. No reason for Ironwood to really do him harm."

"I know, I know. That doesn't quite stop the anxiety though…" Weiss stood up with a slight groan, stretching out her muscles. "How's Whitley doing?"

In the wake of Jacques being imprisoned, a new temporary president of the SDC had to take his place. Since Weiss currently wanted nothing to do with the SDC, Whitley took up the mantle with some hesitation.

"Less of an arse, if I do say so myself." Maus smiled with a slight chuckle.

"Good to know." Weiss laughed at his word choice, but she knew it to be true. Whitley really had started being a bit more kind, especially to her. Still not affectionate, but tolerable. Obviously because of the whole situation, but Weiss was still a little glad that he was more honest with her.

A knock on the door interrupted the conversation. Maus opened it, and smiled in response to see who it was.

"Klein! You're better!" Weiss exclaimed. She instantly ran over to hug him carefully, not wanting to reopen any wounds from the correctional facility.

"Yes, yes." Klein responded in kind, hugging back with an equal affection. "You're doing well, I see. I must thank you for sending Maus to free everyone, as well as coming back for us."

"Really, it was… all I could have done." Weiss looked away, remembering how powerless she felt against the primal.

"All the same, we owe you a lot. The both of you." Maus added with a slight bow.

"Ah, speaking of which," Klein pulled out his scroll, causing Weiss to perk up at the sight of it. "I've received notification from General Ironwood. He says that you may go to the adventurer, if you please."

"That's great, I'll be leaving shortly!" Weiss said in a hurry, gathering her belongings. "Let him know I'm on my way!"

She rushed out the door immediately as Klein and Maus smiled at each other with a shrug.

 **Atlas Academy – Weiss**

Stopping to catch her breath in front of the grand academy, Weiss hesitated at the gates. There was currently no classes in session, but she stopped regardless.

 _Ironwood offered me a place here, at this Academy. Maybe, when this is over I should take it. He is recalling all Atlas personnel here, so Winter will be coming home…_

Weiss looked at the Academy gates in full, the academy clearly impressive in stature and well-reputed.

 _Beacon is gone now, as well. But is this truly where I want to be?_

Thoughts of a young, energetic girl, a fierce blonde and a reclusive bookworm entered her mind as she clenched her fist. Weiss shook her head, attempting to forget about such matters for now. She walked through the gates, heading for Ironwood's office. Once she was through the doors, she admired the architecture shortly, being slightly impressed by the militaristic style of the building. She made her way upstairs, to the door of Ironwood's office, and knocked.

A moment passed, and no response.

She knocked again.

Again she waited, but no response.

Her face reddened in impatience. She was done waiting. She put her hand on the doorknob, opening the door and stepping through.

"Excuse m-!" She stopped in her tracks, the first thing she noticed was exactly what, or who, she was here for.

Elway, snoring lightly, sleeping on his back on Ironwood's couch, one arm hanging lazily from the side and the other laid across his chest. Ironwood was nowhere to be found, but his desk's chair was slightly off-center, implying that he had left a little while ago and would be back. Weiss' earlier frustration dissipated, and she took a seat next to him on an adjacent couch with a resigned smile. Not wanting to disturb his sleep, she quietly watched the scenery from the window.

She stayed like that for a while, finally calm after seeing that Elway seemed to be okay. She felt herself drift off, but the sound of the door opening caught her attention. She looked to the door and saw Ironwood, surprised that she was there.

"Ms. Schnee!" Ironwood said good-naturedly. "You got here quickly. Can I get you anything?"

"No, thank you." Weiss politely declined. "May I ask how he's been?"

"He's an interesting one, alright." Ironwood sighed, though not in an annoyed manner. "We've just been talking about his situation. He told quite a bit; about primals, his abilities… Though he's been tight-lipped about his origins. How have you been?"

"Worried, mainly." Weiss stretched a bit, feeling stiff from sitting idly so long. "About the company, about my future… about him. Thank you for taking care of him, though."

"I see. You are welcome anytime at Atlas Academy, if I may remind you."

"About that…"

As she spoke, Elway stirred next to her. His eyes opened slowly, as he sat up and examined his surroundings.

"Weiss?" Elway said groggily. He perked up upon seeing her safe. "You're alright! Thank goodness."

"Nice of you to join us." Ironwood smirked. "Have a nice nap?"

"Oh, quiet, General." Elway scowled half-heartedly at Ironwood. "After that whole tiring affair of trying to recruit me for Atlas, I had to find some rest."

"You… tried to recruit him?" Weiss asked, astonished.

"Um… yes." Ironwood admitted, somewhat ashamed.

"With _gusto._ " Elway gave a taunting grin to Ironwood. "After he questioned me, he had a whole presentation of the benefits. Alas,"

Elway laid his feet on the table, boots removed from his feet.

"I am but an adventurer."

"You tried to recruit _this?"_ Weiss pointed to Elway, legs laid across Ironwood's coffee table like he was lazing about at home. " _Really?"_

"Ahem. You and I both know just how strong he is. He would be a valuable ally for Atlas, if-"

Elway yawned rudely, rolling his eyes at Ironwood.

"If he wasn't so insufferable."

"That aside, how have you been Weiss?" Elway turned to her, his smile turning from a taunting one to a friendly one. "I heard you've officially given up the title to the Schnee Dust Company."

Ironwood was once again baffled by his forwardness, not wanting to bring up a topic like that all of the sudden.

"Oh, yes. I've been well, and my brother will now head the company, assisted by Klein."

"And what will you do from here, Ms. Schnee?" Ironwood asked, leaning forward intently.

Weiss looked from Ironwood to Elway, both of them looking at her expectantly. The questions they had were clearly in their eyes.

 _Atlas, or…_

"My sister is coming back soon, isn't she?" Weiss asked Ironwood, still not making proper eye contact.

"That's correct. All Atlas personnel should be returning soon."

"Then…"

Ironwood nodded, expecting Weiss to declare her intention to stay in Atlas.

"I'll go to Mistral."

Both Elway and Ironwood drew back in surprise at her statement, clearly guessing from her previous statement that she was to stay.

"Are you serious, Ms. Schnee? There isn't any reason to leave Atlas anymore, what would you go to Mistral for?" Ironwood was almost standing, stressed at the thought of Weiss leaving yet again.

"Is it for them? Ruby and the others?" Elway concluded, still fairly calm.

"Yes. I do appreciate your offer, General Ironwood. But my team needs me, and… I need them." Weiss finished, a determined glint in her eye.

Ironwood sighed, leaning back in his chair. He ran his hand through his hair, and nodded briskly to Weiss.

"I understand. I'll arrange for a Bullhead and a pilot to take you there."

"Thank you, General. Please, look after Klein, Whitley and the others." Weiss bowed her head respectfully to Ironwood. "I should go inform them now."

Weiss stood up, and gestured for Elway to follow her. Elway stood up as well, and turned to Ironwood with a wave.

"Elway." Ironwood's voice rang out in the same, steely tone as when they first met. "I know I can't convince you to become part of Atlas. As for my other request, please do consider it. I cannot leave Atlas as we are now, and he may even be able to help you, so…"

"You needn't say any more." Elway interrupted, nodding at Ironwood. "If I ever meet him, and the Echo shows me who he is, I will do my best to bring him here safely. You have my word."

"Thank you, honestly." Ironwood gave Elway a small, sincere smile.

"Just try to keep those travel laws a bit more lax, then." Elway responded with a smirk.

"I'll try. Be safe, you two."

 **Atlas – Elway**

Elway and Weiss walked slowly to the Schnee Manor, observing the bustling city. Not many truly knew what happened with the primal incident, the situation under wraps by the military. All the same, life moved on.

"Hey, Elway. Thank you." Weiss suddenly spoke up, her usually confident voice turned to small murmurs.

"Where's this coming from?"

"It should be obvious. You protected me, possibly even saved Atlas and stopped my father."

"Ahh, enough of that. I merely played my role." Elway shrugged nonchalantly.

"As a 'Warrior of Light'?" Weiss prodded.

"So you heard that, from the Ascian." Elway chuckled. "It's as he said. Many call me that, but I feel that I don't deserve that title."

"In short, you're a hero, aren't you? In your world."

"In a sense. Though, I feel that my failures often outweigh my successes."

"You've been burdened with so much, haven't you?" Weiss stopped to face him with a brilliant smile. "I think that you're a fine hero. You've saved me, and this city. Take pride."

"Hah. Thank you, Weiss." Elway ruffled her hair. He bowed slightly to her, a serious expression on his face. "And…"

"I wish you safe travels. Truly."

Weiss froze.

"…Elway? Are you not coming to Mistral…?" Weiss asked weakly.

"I cannot, Weiss. I must return to my world."

"But, why? Didn't you want to see them too? To adventure?"

"The Ascians follow me around like a shadow. I may be able to protect myself, but I do not want to put Remnant in further danger for now. And," Elway held out his linkpearl. "My world needs me. I have been away a long time now."

"I see…" Weiss, looked down, mood soured.

"I'll return. It won't be long until you see me again, I give you my word." Elway offered, trying to cheer her up.

"But, this is all so sudden…" Weiss gave out another deep sigh.

"You're quite a bit like Ruby, when you pout." Elway pointed out with a soft smile. "Give them my regards, would you?"

"Okay, I will." Weiss answered, still looking somber. "…Will you be leaving now?"

"Yes, better sooner than to drag it out." Elway put his hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at him. "I'm proud of you, and your decision to journey to Mistral. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. You are more than a Schnee, or even beyond a simple Huntress, so never yield, Weiss."

Weiss wordlessly wrapped her arms around Elway, nodding into his chest. He patted her back soothingly in response. She hid her slight blush with that hug, and as they broke apart she looked up at him with a nod.

"You got it." Weiss said. "And, learn to share those burdens with your comrades. Otherwise, you'll…"

"I know. Thank you." Elway smiled at her one more time, chuckling at the thought of being comforted by someone so much younger than him.

Elway turned from the Schnee Manor, headed towards the gates, to that portal where he first ended up in Atlas.

"Take care of yourself until then, Elway."

"Same to you, Weiss."

And the two walked away from each other, going their separate ways.

Elway made his way out of Atlas, and back onto the cliff he started from, overlooking the city.

He stood in front of that same portal once more, being consumed by his thoughts.

 _Ironwood asked something of me, but…_

 _Can I truly come back to Remnant? If the Ascians are involved, they will harm innocents in this world, just for the sake of killing me._

 _Do I have the right to come back?_

But one thought prevailed, in the end.

 _If the Ascians are intent to stay in Remnant, then I have no choice._

 _I will defeat them, whether it be in Hydaelyn or Remnant._

Elway gave a glance to Atlas before stepping through the portal.

 _I'll return, and as Ironwood asked of me,_

 _I'll find Ozpin, and he will have answers._

As he stepped through the portal, traversing worlds, an eerie, floating eye slowly withdrew.

 **? - ?**

A black hooded figure floated into the domain of Grimm, head bowed in shame. It made its way to the conference room, where his temporary master sat waiting. She was truly fear, beyond most Ascians in terms of power, so the hooded figure could only listen to her orders. The reason behind her power was unknown. Through the doors, it was immediately stopped by a floating eye, her minion. A regal and yet terrifying voice rang out.

"Mitron. You've failed yet again."

Salem revealed herself, stepping slowly towards the floating Ascian. The minion made way for its master, and the Ascian bowed further.

"Forgive me. I underestimated the Seventh's Warrior of Light. It will not happen again."

"Pathetic. I suppose this is all I could have expected from the same Ascian who failed to the First."

"Lady Salem, I-"

" **Enough.** " Salem spoke, her tone demanding obedience. Darkness radiated off her in an oppressive wave as she spoke down to the weakened Ascian. "Elidibus will hear of this later. And you, my little failure, I'll give you another chance."

"As you wish." Mitron nodded grimly.

"A little upstart Faunus friend of ours has recently taken leadership of the White Fang. You may know him as Adam Taurus. You are too weak currently to be much use currently, but I want you to find a little gift for him."

Salem gave the Ascian a wicked smirk, as she pondered the Seventh's Warrior of Light.

"Bring him a soul crystal, from the Seventh. You should know _exactly_ what suits him."

 **Chapter 22 – Salem**

 **A/N:** And there's the finale of the arc! I feel I did kind of rush it, but I wanted to fit it all into one chapter. Elway returns to Hydaelyn, (And with this, he'll go through the events of Stormblood) and Weiss is off to Mistral. Ironwood now knows about primals, and some details about Elway, like the Echo, this'll come into play later. And as for the final scene, lore-savvy people will know Mitron as the Ascian that was defeated by the Warriors of Darkness. He survived, and is now in Remnant. As for Salem and her relation to the Ascians, that's a secret for now! A buncha side stories will follow this before the third arc, some covering events of Stormblood and probably some about this arc. For now, I'll see you in the next chapter, please leave a review!


	28. Side Story 6

**A/N:** Hello, first of all I should apologize for my extended absence! University has been kicking my ass lately, and I haven't been doing as well as I should be. Getting my act together still, and I've got a better handle on my time now.

On a more related note, here's a side story!

To **unnoticed reader:** Thanks for the review, and glad to see that you liked it! He won't be getting the soul crystal immediately (as I'll explain later), but look forward to it!

To **tryal-leaf:** I hope I don't disappoint with the upcoming arc! For soul crystals, you're right as far as I know. They _aren't_ easy to get, which will be an important point. For Ironwood, well, that's what this side story is about! Side stories will also discuss important Stormblood stuff, so that'll be in the near future. As always, thanks for the review!

To **Ijustwannahelp:** No worries at all! I understand that leaving super detailed reviews every time is pretty difficult. Just glad to have received your input, and every review makes me feel better honestly. Thanks a bunch for offering to help, and for the review!

To **Vesuvius:** Hey, thanks for leaving a review. Glad that you're enjoying it, one of my goals for the story was really just to humanize the WoL a bit, so thank you for your letting me know!

 **Side Story 6 – The General and the Adventurer**

 **Atlas Academy – Ironwood**

The Atlas Academy infirmary hasn't seen use in quite some time. The dust lining the nurse's desk and medical supplies were a clear indication. Of course, after the fall of Beacon and the CCT towers, it was only natural.

Still, there were two occupants in the quiet infirmary, the small buzz of medical equipment being used on a man with no background in Atlas made the General's brow furrow. For the sake of Weiss Schnee however, this much was fine. Ironwood crossed his arms behind his back and turned to look outside the window.

"We'll be back in session before you know it, hmm…?" Ironwood muttered to himself, still in deep reflection upon the events that recently occurred in his own city. Under his nose, while he was none the wiser. He let out a long sigh, and turned back to the patient, who was-

The General flinched for just a moment.

He was awake.

"Oh, hello." The adventurer greeted him after a brief pause.

Ironwood gazed at Elway in a stunned silence. Elway casually detached the IV from his arm, and removed the pulse monitors from his body. He glanced at the aura monitor, wondering what it was. Ironwood cleared his throat loudly, signaling Elway's attention.

"You're quite calm for someone in your situation."

"There are MUCH worse ways to wake up." Elway grinned lazily, running a hand through his hair. "Like after being poisoned, for example."

Ironwood was tempted to lose his composure then and there, but he kept his jaw from going slack, with some difficulty.

"How… how are you feeling?" Ironwood said, almost asking him something else entirely. "You've been out for quite a bit.

"Well enough." Elway stretched his muscles a bit. "I suppose I have you to thank for that?"

"I was simply taking care of you as per Ms. Schnee's request." Ironwood shook his head. "She wouldn't take kindly to me treating you harshly."

"All the same, thank you for your hospitality. Ah, and how is she?"

"She's doing well, from what I hear. She was much more worried about you though. I'd like to borrow you for a moment, but first," Ironwood checked a message on his scroll. "You must be hungry. Allow me to get you something."

"That'd be appreciated."

Only a few moments later, Ironwood came back with a tray of food. Elway gratefully began to eat, despite the meal lacking some flavor.

"If you don't mind, I'll be asking you some questions." Ironwood's voice took on a firm tone.

"Sounds fair. Let's hear them." Elway responded through a mouthful of bread.

"Hm… well, first of all, where'd you come from?" Ironwood prodded. "I remember the department of security was in an uproar some time ago due to an intruder."

Elway choked slightly on his food, slightly embarrassed. He forcefully swallowed the food with some difficulty,

"Uh. Sorry." Elway reached for the back of his neck nervously. "That was me."

"Why did you force your way into Atlas then?" Ironwood asked, face stern.

"It was a spur of the moment decision… I had a disagreement with the guards and, well, I was helped out by a man by the name of Walts. I didn't have any intentions with Atlas however! I didn't even know what the city was called, truthfully…"

"Didn't know what Atlas was? Aren't you an adventurer?"

"That's correct." Elway put the tray to his side.

"Then let me ask you this;" Ironwood leaned forward, his eyes now scanning Elway harshly. "Who _are_ you? Where did you come from?"

"Ah, straight to the heart of it then." Elway mused. "You're quite a bit like Qrow in that respect. Actually, you may be more alike than you think."

"How do you know Qrow?" Ironwood replied in slight shock. This adventurer was full of surprises, wasn't he? "And in no way are we alike!"

"A passing meeting, but that's not exactly what you want to hear." Elway ran his hand through his hair. "As you've guessed, I'm not from here. Not even from this world. That's why I have no aura, as you must be wondering."

"So… an adventurer of worlds?" Ironwood asked.

"You're taking this quite well. Qrow also caught on quick." Elway smirked as Ironwood frowned at their comparison once more. "It isn't quite like that; truthfully it was more of an accident. I have no ill intentions with Remnant, of that you can be assured."

"And your strength?" Ironwood recalled Elway's battle, and apparently he had done it without much help. "To take down a monstrosity like that singlehandedly, is everyone from your world like that?"

"Again, not quite." Elway clenched his fist. "I'm the Warrior of Light. Someone who fights for the people. Against that thing you saw, a Primal."

 _A Weapon,_ Elway bitterly remembered Fray's words.

"Usually I'd say you're out of your mind, but you defeating that… Primal, alone is just enough for me to believe it. How did you know about my… less than favorable relations to Qrow?"

"Well, one of my powers allows me to see the past. While I was sleeping, I may have seen some of yours…" Elway trailed off sheepishly.

"…How much did you see?"

"Enough. You've been searching for a man named Ozpin, and something to do with 'Maidens.' There was more, but…"

Ironwood was almost panicking. This man likely had access to knowledge that no one should have, but he was an outsider. There was a lot of harm he could do with that information, but would he? Should some measures be used to prevent him from speaking of this, or…

"Before you continue with your panic, I won't say anything. I promise you that." Elway cut in, interrupting Ironwoods rushed thoughts. "Your secrets are safe with me. Anything I would say about your past would be irresponsible."

Ironwood let out the breath he didn't know he was holding upon seeing Elway's honest gaze. He rubbed at his temples, attempting to quickly calm down.

"I apologize for losing my composure. I didn't want to make any more mistakes."

"I understand completely. Ah, you can stop being so formal." Elway gave an exaggerated frown. "Acting so stiff makes me even more uncomfortable."

"Haha, alright then." Ironwood let out a dry chuckle. "Can I ask a favor of you?"

"Ask away." Elway nodded.

"If you do see Ozpin on your adventures, bring him back to us. I'm sure your power told you about how his… circumstance is, from my memories."

"Hah, are you sure those travel bans won't keep me out again?" Elway jabbed with a smirk.

"We'll work on those…" Ironwood replied with a groan. "In the meantime, I promised Ms. Schnee she could see you, but it's getting a little late."

"I don't mind waiting, if she needs to see me." Elway shrugged.

Ironwood smiled a little too wide to be natural.

"Alright then, Elway, how about I show you a presentation?"

"Huh? Of what?" Elway raised an eyebrow.

 **Atlas Academy – Elway**

Three hours.

THREE HOURS.

THREE! HOURS!

Elway slammed his head against his palm for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. Ironwood was still going on and on and ON about the benefits of joining Atlas Academy personnel, which included free room and board, medical insurance, retirement plans, company issued vehicles and SO. MUCH. MORE.

Now he was going over the different job descriptions using a projection from his scroll.

Elway couldn't remember half the godsdamned job descriptions and benefits, and every time he tried to cut in, Ironwood would go on as if he didn't hear. Truly an instructor and businessman. One too stubborn for his own good.

Because Elway would kill him soon if he didn't stop.

"…And transportation fees for professors at Atlas Academy are fully deductible on your…"

Elway snapped.

"GODS, MAKE IT STOP!"

 **Side Story 6 – The General and the Adventurer's Promise**

 **A/N:** And there's the chapter! It was a bit shorter than usual, but there wasn't a whole lot to cover. Just some of the conversation between Elway and Ironwood to setup for the next arc. Next update will be another side story, probably with regard to Stormblood stuff. Can't promise that it'll be soon, but I'll get it done when I can.

As always, thank you for reading and please leave a review!


	29. Side Story 7

**A/N:** Hey readers, back with another side story. How are you liking patch 4.3? It's been a ton of fun for me, everything so far has hit the mark in my opinion (There'll be a side story on 4.3 events soon after this one!). Anyways, I've been working on this one a while! This one will be about the events of Stormblood, from the perspective of Yugiri. Of course, there will be a lot of twists to the usual story. Fair warning ahead, the time will jump around a lot to each point of the story in Stormblood. This will be a super long chapter! I hope you enjoy it!

To **unnoticed reader:** Thanks for the review as always! And while of course Ironwood had to try. Succeeding, on the other hand, well, Elway's not the type to be roped into a stuffy Atlas position of course. They'll meet again for sure though!

To **tryal-leaf:** __He definitely seems the type, haha. Thanks for the good wishes and review, and hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **Side Story 7 – Her Story**

 **The Azim Steppe – Yugiri**

A shinobi dressed in purple slowly ran her hand over a bracelet again, the accessory always on her person. A habit she developed since leaving Eorzea. She silently observed the bustling market of Xaela Au Ra, on occasion receiving some quizzical, even harsh looks from the natives of the land. She glanced at the report one of her Doman comrades had brought her.

 _The Azim Steppe. And there, a Samurai bearing grave scars, yet a fearsome leader being under the care of the Mol tribe. It could only be one man._

 _My lord, are you safe?_

Profoundly anxious, she paced back and forth. She had to find him as soon as possible. Not just for her and Gosetsu, but for Doma.

"Um, hello." A meek voice broke her out of her stupor. "Are you the one looking for the Mol…?"

An adolescent child with pale skin grabbed her attention. She looked the child in the eyes and nodded.

"Will you show me where he is?"

She followed the Mol child to a small building. The child called out softly,

"Hien!"

The soft rustling behind the doors of the structure alerted her to a presence. The doors opened and relief, apprehension and anticipation all struck at once. Out stepped a tall Hyuran man, more rugged than she remembered but well all the same.

She instantly dropped to a knee and bowed her head before her master.

"My lord Hien!"

The man took a few steps until he was properly in front of her. The silence was almost suffocating.

"Rise, my friend." Hien's hand clapped her shoulder. "To see you again makes me happier than I can put into words."

Yugiri looked up to see him smiling brightly. She returned his smile with a tearful chuckle.

"The feeling is mutual, to say the least…" She shook away a tear and stood to look him in the eyes properly. "I am so thankful that you are safe."

He certainly seemed stronger than before. His time here must have been a positive influence.

"It was a humbling experience." Hien crossed his arms. "But the Mol have taken amazing care of me. How have you found me?"

Yugiri explained to Hien how there had been reports of him around the Azim Steppe, and it was the only likely place given how most of the continent was under Garlean occupation, yet they left the Azim Steppe alone for the most part. The only problem was that there were too few people in Yanxia to leave so suddenly, but with her arrival in Doma they could safely send her.

Likewise, Hien explained his situation to her. After he was wounded, he was found by the Mol tribe floating in a river on death's door. After being nursed back to health, he learned of the culture and the various tribes of the Azim Steppe, and began to integrate himself with the Steppe. Their conversation flowed freely, both glad to see each other again.

"My lord, would you not return to Doma with me?" Yugiri finally asked hopefully. Hien sighed, knowing this was coming.

"I am afraid not, Yugiri." Hien shook his head sadly.

"But why?" Yugiri's voice broke slightly.

"There is something I must know." Hien's look turned stern. "If Doma yet thirsts for the blood of patriots and tyrants, I shall offer unto her my blade. But if she has had her fill of bitter draughts, I shall offer unto her conquerors my head."

"Wha…" Yugiri was at a loss. "No Doman would accept that outcome! You know this to be true!"

"Then tell me, have you seen our people? Not just the resistance, but the people of our home? Can you say with full assurance that they still have the will to fight?"

"I… I cannot ever imagine that they would have you sacrifice yourself." Yugiri clenched her teeth. "Please reconsider!"

"I have made my decision." Hien turned from her. "If Doma can once more stand, then show me."

As Hien walked away with the Mol child, Yugiri let out a frustrated moan. Unable to calm herself, she once again reached for the bracelet on her wrist.

 _Elway… what do I do…?_

 **Yanxia, House of the Fierce – Yugiri**

Upon her return, she instantly put herself to work on finding out where the people of Doma were scattered, and how she could help them. Firstly, Yanxia was her main priority but with the imperials constantly hovering over the village the amount of interference she could manage was limited. So far, she had only managed to grant the village some scarce resources through the shinobi. But it wouldn't be nearly enough, especially if the imperials decided to take those resources.

She also sent out shinobi to find any survivors or people who would be able to join them in the fight for Doma, but that proved to be fruitless so far. The people of Doma were dejected, defeated without a leader. It only looked like Hien was more and more right. The people of Doma were a step away from total subjugation.

Jifuya, one of the soldiers, appeared before her. He smiled and bowed to her, before speaking.

"Lady Yugiri, we received word of Lord Gosetsu soon approaching."

"That is splendid news. Can you greet him when he comes? I will be just a moment."

"Of course. If you'll excuse me,"

Just as quickly as he came, Jifuya left, in a good mood. It was good that Gosetsu was coming, since she could finally let him know of their lord's decision. Perhaps they could go see their lord once more, to see if they could change his mind together.

She looked over a report from the shinobi once more about any possible people to take up arms, but she felt her eyelids getting heavier. Days of working endlessly to arm Doma once more were beginning to take their toll. She began to droop over the table she was working at, and let her eyes close fully. She softly put her head onto the table and let her body rest, for the first time in what seemed like forever.

Her subordinates saw her exhaustion and let her sleep peacefully. It was only a short moment until the joyous guffawing of Gosetsu filled the halls. Him and the Domans greeted each other happily one after the other, the reunion shaking the once quiet location.

Yugiri began to stir, and she quickly remembered that Gosetsu was supposed to be here soon, if not already. Her head shot up, and she made her way to the center of the House of the Fierce, brushing loose strands of hair out of her face.

"I am sorry Gosetsu, I meant to come soo-"

She stopped slowly, her stance weakening. Gosetsu waved at her with a grin, but she looked directly past him. Her heart began pounding out of her chest. She drew back, her hand covering her mouth before she gasped.

The group that came with Gosetsu.

No, she was looking at one man.

He was wearing the attire of a Doman Samurai now, the red robes matching his eyes strikingly. He had the katana she gave to him on his side, and his hair was just as captivatingly messy as she remembered. He followed Gosetsu's eyes to meet hers.

 _It's him._

"Elway…!" She managed to choke out.

Before she could voice any other thoughts, he rushed over, just short of sprinting. Elway wrapped her arms around her tightly, the force of his hug almost knocking her over. He buried his face in the crook of her neck tenderly.

"I've come, as promised." He whispered to her. She noticed his voice was filled with longing and wrapped an arm around him in kind.

"But Ala Mhigo… you…" Yugiri stammered, a blush invading her face at full force. Elway released his hold on her, smiling at her. Her heart pounded once more at that, still not entirely prepared to face him once more. Truthfully, she had wanted to show that Doma could be liberated through their own power. If they were here, then…

"Always worrying about others, aren't you?" Elway poked her forehead lightly. "It's a bit of a long story. We'll explain in a moment, but for now, your new armor suits you." He grinned at her.

"As does yours." Yugiri responded smoothly.

Elway linked his fingers with hers. Yugiri finally gave him a smile, her face still reddened.

"I missed you." She admitted, breaking eye contact. "And thank you for coming."

"A-HEM!" The sound of Alisaie clearing her throat loudly interrupted their moment. Elway rolled his eyes at her mirthfully. "If you two are done with your moment, I would like to discuss our position."

"Of course, of course. Let's go, Yugiri. We have much to discuss." Elway led her by the hand to where Lyse, Alisaie and Gosetsu were. She warmly smiled once more, her fears at bay from seeing him once more. She felt a peace within her, despite everything that had happened recently.

 **Yanxia – Yugiri**

Yugiri wistfully looked out at the lake before her, somberly cursing her own weakness. The people of Doma… they truly were broken.

 _Just as my lord guessed. How foolish of me…_

Footsteps from behind her put her on guard, but turning around she saw that it was Elway. He walked towards her with a small smile, and she couldn't help but smile back at him. She turned to face him.

"Forgive me for making you search." She said quietly.

"It wasn't any trouble." Elway shrugged. "That aside, are you well?"

Yugiri once more turned to face the body of water.

"It calms me, the sound. It helps me to remember the sway of the ocean when I close my eyes…"

Elway simply nodded for her to continue, and already knew what she was to say.

"In truth, I am not of Doma. I was born beneath the waves of the Ruby Sea." Yugiri looked at him guiltily. "I know I have not told you of such a thing, please forgive me."

"You've nothing to apologize for." Elway stepped closer to her. "And I know. When we were in the Ruby Sea, we came upon Sui-no-Sato. The resulting adventure I can tell you about some other time."

"Did you meet with my parents?" Yugiri asked apprehensively.

"Recognized them instantly. Yunagi, and Ihanami. You do resemble your mother quite a bit. They said that the sword you gave me, it is from beneath the Ruby Sea." Elway reached for her hand softly. "They are safe and well. That I promise."

"They are in good health then. The knowledge is of… great comfort to me." Yugiri breathed out in relief. "Yet, I cannot return… when I began to walk the path of the shinobi, I was to never return home."

Yugiri breathed in shakily, the memory of her family bringing both pain and joy. Elway squeezed her hand and looked as if he wanted to say something, but stayed silent.

"After walking this path, I met Lord Kaien, Lord Hien and Gosetsu. I was proud to serve our cause, but... my home has always been elsewhere."

"Even after being banished, you still pray for their safety…" Elway mused softly.

"Of course. Lord Hien said that we are better for the conviction of our allies… yet, the people of Doma as we are right now are despondent. When those broken men balked at liberty…"

Her voice quivered as she spoke. Elway cut her off, unable to bear standing idle.

He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in, burying her head into his chest.

"Together, we will show Doma that freedom is not an impossible dream." Elway declared, while holding her close. "We won't give in."

"That you remain resolute, even in the face of everything we have seen…" Yugiri looked up at Elway, whose face showed a worried expression. "It heartens me more than you know."

Yugiri planted a quick kiss onto Elway's cheek and relaxed in his embrace, listening to his heartbeat.

"Thank you for standing by me all this time."

 **Yanxia – Yugiri**

She knew that the mission she was about to carry out was foolish.

She knew that she wasn't powerful enough to do this alone. That doing this was akin to suicide.

The others were right. Even as her emotions consumed her, she knew that attempting to kill Zenos like this was a nigh impossible task.

But it didn't matter.

For her home, for her people, she would sacrifice herself gladly.

Which was why she hid to the shadows after she departed from her comrades, staying away. She knew exactly what would happen if she did not.

Elway would chase after her, and ask to fight alongside her. To protect her.

Yugiri shook her head, attempting to clear her thoughts of Elway. She heard how Zenos was one of the first to truly defeat the Warrior of Light. She couldn't let him be hurt again, just because of her actions.

Besides, she knew the gravity of the situation. She was not likely to live past this.

Even if she was to die doing it, she _would_ have the viceroy's head.

In the shadows, she waited and waited for her chance. She watched the movements of the Garlean escort, noting their blind spots and the order in which she would bring them down. She made a disgusted expression at the sight of the Doman viceroy, Yotsuyu, but her gaze turned determined when her eyes finally fell upon Zenos.

Once more, she clutched the bracelet Elway gave her. The unit finally came upon the building she was hiding on top of. She quelled the shaking in her hands by taking a deep breath, then leaped to strike.

First, she struck swiftly at the guard's neck furthest behind the group. Then, his partner. Before their bodies fell, the guard closest to Zenos was slain.

Finally, Zenos was open for a clean strike. Once more, she leapt into the sky, and soared towards Zenos' head. Blades poised to strike.

In an instant, Zenos turned around and drew a blade of brilliant blue, effortlessly blocking her attack. She grit her teeth and tried to stop his blade from forcing its way through her defense, and used the momentum of his attack to fly backwards, landing on the ground gracefully.

"AMBUSH!" Yelled out the head of the guard.

"How weak you are." Zenos mocked her dryly. "Is this the sum of your hate?"

"Gh…!" Yugiri felt the force of his strike. If she had been a moment later in putting her guard up, she would've died right there. "For Lord Kaien! For Doma!"

The guards all came for her, but they were slow and weak. She moved quickly, wasting no energy in slaying what meager forces came after her. One raised his katana high to strike, but she quickly stabbed straight into his helm. Another stabbed at her, but she parried the attempt easily, kicking the weapon out of his hands and slicing his throat. A mage began casting a spell, but before any more words could leave his mouth she threw a dagger into his throat.

"What are you doing, you fools?!" Yotsuyu seethed. "There's only one of them!"

The remainder of the guards rushed at her, but she quickly began channeling two mudras, and cast her ninjutsu, a blast of fire appearing in front of her and knocking out the remaining guard. Zenos was calm throughout all of the fighting, and calmly observed her, letting out an occasional, taunting laugh.

Yugiri glared at Yotsuyu once the guards were gone, daring her to attempt anything. The Doman viceroy drew back, letting out a hiss of frustration. Zenos finally approached Yugiri, every step sending chills down her body. She steeled herself and rushed towards him, hoping for a first strike to connect.

Zenos swung his blade casually at her, but she dodged swiftly to his side. She saw an opening and slashed one of her blades at his helm, but he brought up a gauntlet to stop her blade in its tracks. She gasped, swinging the other, but it was too late as his blade once again cut at her, yet this time she couldn't block or dodge in time.

She felt the blade cut into her skin and cried out in pain as she was launched back. Zenos calmly walked forward once more, this time channeling a spell by stabbing his sword into the ground. He released the magic, sending out a blast of _Concentrativity,_ and once again sent Yugiri flying. She struggled to rise once more, to _fight,_ but her strength seemed so far away.

The wicked viceroy let out a bored sigh, and his blade began to hum. Yugiri clenched her teeth in frustration. Once more, he walked towards her.

"Begone." He raised his blade high as it began to hum.

And stabbed it downwards, straight into her.

Yugiri screamed in agony as the blue blade crackled with electricity, cauterizing the wound as it was inflicted upon her. She made a futile effort to fight back, the pain awakening her but also sealing her movement.

"YUGIRI!" A roar from afar. The distant sound of footsteps grew louder and louder, and Zenos temporarily looked up to meet the new arrival.

The blade was removed from her as she let out another scream, the wound widening from the action. Yugiri looked to the source of the footsteps, though she knew exactly who it was.

Elway charged straight at Zenos, blade already drawn. He slammed the katana into the viceroy, who barely brought his own blade up to block.

"BASTARD!" Elway growled hatefully. "Get away from her!"

Zenos only let out a slight "hmm," at Elway, who once again charged at Zenos, this time his blade in its sheath. He drew his blade in a flash, an _Iaijutsu_ technique that cut several times in an instant. He left several nicks in the armor of the viceroy, but no grievous wounds were dealt. Before Zenos could counter, Elway stabbed his blade towards Zenos' chest.

Zenos knocked Elway's blade aside with a gauntlet and sliced upwards with his own katana. Elway held his own sword in a defensive stance, but the attack still broke straight through his guard and loosened his grip on his weapon. Zenous quickly slashed downwards, but Elway's only response was to growl even more fiercely.

"Elway…" Yugiri called out softly. She tried to speak more, but she couldn't manage the words.

 _You can't. To put yourself in danger for my mistake…_

She rose to a knee slowly, and in a haze, she tried to crawl over to Elway slowly.

"Yugiri?!" Elway asked, panicked. Broken out of his stupor, he turned his head to face her. "Hold on! Don't-"

Elway's weapon was sent flying. He turned to look at his opponent, but instead only saw a blade being slashed.

Not at him, however. At Yugiri.

The blade sent a wave of lightning at the shinobi. Unable to dodge, and Elway unable to intercept, she was struck violently. The lightning coursed through her body, and paralysis set in. She began to fall headfirst towards the floor, the life beginning to fade from her eyes.

Elway's face went from terror, to desperation and then, rage.

"Ahh. I remember you." Zenos spoke finally. "Ala Mhigo. The champion of the savages."

"Zenos." Elway whispered coldly, hatefully. "Die."

In a flash of light, Elway was no longer in the robes of a Samurai. Instead, his Warrior armor appeared once more, and Bravura gripped in one hand. The Warrior soul crystal in his hand burned with energy.

He let out a beastly roar, filled with fury. An explosion of rage surrounded him, bathing the area in front of Zenos in flames. His eyes glowed a vicious red through the explosion. An _Inner Release_ of all his wrath and abandon. Elway tackled Zenos with an inhuman speed, eyes still glowing that severe red.

Elway growled and swung his axe as three giant sawblades manifested from Elway, cleaving through Zenos' guard and making him drop the katana of lightning. Zenos' helm cracked, and a piece of his malicious helmet fell off. Elway prepared another _Fell Cleave_ with a roar, but Zenos drew a blade of red.

The viceroy began to glow red, and as Elway struck with another _Fell Cleave,_ the attack was nullified. It didn't do nearly as much damage as it did prior.

"Oh… how right I was to spare your life."

Elway swung his free hand in an explosive uppercut, pushing back Zenos a slight distance. Elway rampaged towards Zenos, his axe swinging wildly like a mad beast.

"Run, beast, run…" Zenos slashed the red blade, a series of strikes simultaneously filling the air. Elway persisted through, and tackled Zenos once more. He knocked Zenos into the wall of a building and swung his axe as three giant sawblades appeared once more. Zenos responded in kind with a strike of Ame-no-Habakiri.

Zenos smirked sadistically once more, and a blast of _Concentrativity_ appeared, which Elway countered with a slam of his axe to the ground. The viceroy slashed his blade and a _Lightless Spark_ threatened Yugiri's unconscious body. Elway moved instinctively despite his beast-like state, and shielded her body with his own. He let out a snarl, and the glow in his eyes began to fade. Zenos slashed another time, but Elway didn't budge and let another strike wound him. Zenos laughed wickedly, and slashed multiple times at the Warrior. Soon, the wrath in Elway's eyes faded completely, and he sank to his knees, arms still outstretched in front of Yugiri. Zenos relaxed his stance, and took off his helmet, revealing his malicious smile.

"Hear me, hero. Live. For the rush of blood, for the time between seconds, live. For the sole pleasure left to me in this empty, ephemeral world, live!"

He took a menacing step towards the gravely wounded Elway and Yugiri, but an arrow found its way next to his feet.

"Get away from them, you imperial dog!" A young man's voice rang out.

"Gosetsu, see to the both of them!" Alisaie yelled, tossing a smoke bomb that covered the area. Elway numbly felt the effects of a healing spell, using the energy to stand once more. Gosetsu appeared in front of him, grabbing him by the waist and slinging him over the shoulder. Similarly, Lyse appeared and scooped up Yugiri carefully, nodding to Gosetsu.

"Gosetsu, let me DOWN!" Elway yelled out with a hoarse throat. "GODS DAMN IT, GOSETSU, LET ME KILL HIM!"

 **Yanxia, Namai – Yugiri**

Still wounded heavily, Yugiri was still unconscious after being treated by Alisaie and what meager medicine the villagers could offer, and what Elway brought out from his inventory. The villagers had been spurred into action through Yugiri's rescue of them, and after seeing Elway sacrifice himself so readily, Isse's bow couldn't be held idle any longer. Alisaie, Gosetsu and Lyse went with the villagers, especially after noticing Elway missing.

Finally, she began to awaken, eyes painfully opening to the sight of her body wrapped in bandages where her wounds were. In a humble cot, she tried moving to little avail. She turned her head to see the other occupant of the makeshift infirmary.

Elway sat in a chair, next to her bed. He slept with his arms crossed with an uncomfortable expression on his face. His body was wounded severely, but his natural recovery seemed to be stronger. He was well enough to leave his own cot for a chair, if that was any indication of his well-being.

Suddenly, the memories of their most recent encounter came surging back into her mind. She tried and failed to kill Zenos, and almost lost her life. Elway found them, and… he lost himself to his inner beast. The personification of all his anger, tempered through his Warrior training. But for her sake, he almost died as well. Only by the intervention of their friends and the villagers were their lives spared. They almost died in vain. It was her fault, she kept repeating in her mind.

Yugiri felt a tear running down the side of her face, and as she tried to wipe her eye, more tears spilled out. Soon, she couldn't stop the flood of sobs that wracked her body, the pain intensifying with each sob. Elway's eyes opened slowly upon hearing her sorrow.

He simply held her hand gently, as if he was afraid she would be hurt any more.

"Yugiri." He began quietly. "You're awake… thank goodness."

"Elway… But I…" Yugiri whispered through sobs. "Please, forgive me…!"

"Save it for later." Elway brushed loose strands of hair out of her face faintly. "Focus on recovery for now."

"I will…" Yugiri looked down, ashamed. "Do your wounds trouble you?"

"Not my wounds, no…" Elway's grip weakened. "You saw me lose control, didn't you?"

Yugiri nodded sadly, still blaming herself in her mind.

"I took up the mantle of a Samurai because I almost lost control, back in Ala Mhigo." Elway muttered. "When I saw you fall, I was prepared to throw it all away."

"You cannot." She replied sternly. "So many still depend on you."

"Same goes for you." Elway replied instantly. "You knew what you tried was damned foolish."

"I had to _try_." Yugiri countered. "The man who almost took everything from us, who killed so many of my comrades, I couldn't stand idle knowing he was so close…"

"You knew what he was capable of!" Elway snapped. Yugiri flinched slightly, as she was rarely the cause of his anger. "You knew you would've died… I promised you we would fight together!"

"I don't want you to be hurt because of me!" Yugiri shouted through tears. "You've suffered more than one man should be able to bear…!"

"Then what would happen if I were to lose you?!" Elway stood up, tears beginning to stream down his face. "That would wound me FAR more than any blade could manage!"

"Do you realize how terrified I am, how terrified WE are whenever you go off into to fight another primal or gods-know-what?!" Yugiri's wounds began to ache intensely, but it didn't matter to her one bit. "Do you yet understand what grief I feel when you come back on death's door? When you suffer so much for others and their sins?!"

Yugiri stood up and she felt some of her wounds reopen. She staggered, but stabilized herself, placing her hands on Elway's shoulders. Elway's rigid expression softened, and he slowly wrapped his arms around her, carefully making sure not to hurt her.

"You've come all the way to Doma, to bleed for our cause…!" Yugiri cried fiercely. "You'll save anyone, but who will save you?!"

Elway softly held Yugiri's sobbing body close to himself. He silently pondered her words. This is what she felt every time he came back from a battle covered in blood and new scars.

Sometimes, he could feel proud of being a hero. The one to become a beacon of strength and hope. He wanted to save people, and that was obvious. That was why he gladly sacrificed himself for the sake of others. But even if he did not perish constantly fighting, he would never be able to take the trauma away from his comrades every time he came back with injuries that were near fatal. He couldn't heal those scars.

"Yugiri…" Elway gently used a hand to wipe her tears. "I know I was being hypocritical. But I wish for you to value your life more."

"When you don't do the same?" She asked bitterly, her face forming a pout.

"No. I promise that I will do so. As you said, there are those that depend on me. And those who I have to save," Elway smiled weakly. "but the reason I wish you to value your life more is because,"

Elway kissed her quickly, taking her hand with both of his.

"You're the one who saves me." He said honestly, resolution in his eyes. "I'll return home to you, every time. I swear it."

"Wha…?" Yugiri gasped in shock. "That sounds as if you are…"

"Proposing?" Elway finished for her. "It's something close. I'll give you a proper one later."

"You just admitted that so casually!" Yugiri cried, half laughing. "You are unbelievable!"

"True. But I am being genuine." Elway stated simply. "If you'll have me, my life is yours."

Yugiri was silent for a moment, but locked eyes with Elway. She gave a small nod.

"Understood." She conceded. "Do what you must. But come home safe to me. Live, no matter what. I'll be yours, and you'll become mine."

Elway's face showed an expression of pure joy. He picked her up, minding her wounds and laughed.

"What are you doing to a wounded person?" Yugiri asked with a smirk.

"I'm injured as well!" Elway chuckled. "So it's alright!"

"You're talking nonsense," Yugiri reprimanded Elway, flicking his forehead.

"I know, I'm sorry!" Elway exclaimed. "I'm just relieved. And overjoyed!"

"Enough silliness, Elway." She put a hand on his. "Let's rest a while longer. Tomorrow, I'll apologize to the others."

"Of course. I must apologize to them as well." Elway laid her on the bed. He placed a quick kiss on her forehead, and smiled down at her. "Rest well. I'll be waiting for you."

"Same to you. Thank you…" She mumbled. Yugiri felt her eyes grow heavy once more, and felt herself drift off into slumber.

That night was the first night she'd dreamt of a family of her own since she was a child.

 **The Azim Steppe – Yugiri**

The time was come to finally retrieve their master. Yugiri and Gosetsu were anxious, Elway was appearing nonchalant (but did Yugiri sense apprehension?), Lyse was anticipating the arrival of the Doman prince, eager to see the man the Domans had spoken so highly of.

They came upon a small hill, overlooking the vast expanse of the Steppe. On the top was a man sitting calmly.

"Ah. You've come sooner than expected." The figure said. "So. My blade or my head. Which would you have of me?"

Yugiri and Gosetsu kneeled in unison, and Yugiri began to speak. She informed him of Yanxia's citizens beginning to take up arms, and how Doma was prepared to fight. The other Scions simply stood silently, waiting politely for Hien.

"Naught less than liberty will suffice, then? A pity. It will prove far more difficult to deliver than my head." Hien smiled. "But if my people wish to pursue an impossible dream, then who am I to deny them?"

He turned around, beaming, to greet them.

"Yugiri! Gosetsu! And, uh…?" He gestured towards Elway and Lyse.

"The Scions of the Seventh Dawn, my Lord." Yugiri answered, trying to stop herself from smiling. "They are good and true friends, who opened their homes and their hearts to us and the refugees in our time of need. They are renowned for their many heroic deeds, and journeyed from across the sea to aid us in the fight for Doma."

"Say no more Yugiri." Hien nodded to Elway. "I observed how you helped Cirina. For that, and for aiding my people, you have my deepest gratitude."

Hien bowed to Elway and Lyse respectfully.

"It was our pleasure." Elway nodded back, expression still a bit stiff. "They helped us a great deal as well, if not more."

"Hah, flattery as well?" Hien chuckled. "There is no doubting your strength, nor your character. It would be an honor to fight by your side."

That seemed to quell whatever hesitance Elway had, causing him to grin back at Hien.

"So, what of Doma? Arise my friends, and tell me of our home."

Yugiri and Gosetsu explained their current situation to Hien enthusiastically, eyes burning with passion, finally ready to take up arms against the Garleans.

Hien took a moment to think over the situation, but made his decision relatively quickly.

Yugiri was to return to Yanxia and prepare the forces of Doma for their battle, and Gosetsu, Elway and Lyse were to assist him in helping the Mol tribe win the Naadam. Hien planned to enlist the help of the warriors of the Azim Steppe for the liberation of Doma, and Elway enthusiastically agreed with the idea, probably excited at the prospect of exploring and learning about the Steppe.

Yugiri turned to Elway as Gosetsu and Hien began to converse.

"Once more, I place my faith in you." Yugiri said somewhat shyly. "Please look after them, and take care of yourself."

"We'll be back before you know it." Elway punched his palm. "Do not overwork yourself."

"Take your own advice, Elway." Yugiri smirked at him. She leaned in swiftly, kissing him lightly on the cheek before jumping up and disappearing, quickly making her way to back to Yanxia.

As she left, Hien, Gosetsu and Lyse all smirked, Hien stroking his beard for good measure, the three looking at Elway, whose face turned slightly red.

"The usually so stoic Yugiri, displaying such affection, hmmm…" Hien tried to make himself sound contemplative, but couldn't keep the teasing tone out of his voice.

"You should see them back in Eorzea." Lyse added with a shrug, grinning widely.

"Q-Quiet! All of you!" Elway hissed, still embarrassed.

 **Yanxia, House of the Fierce**

Yugiri returned as bid, prepared to unite the forces of Doma. She came upon the two siblings, Alisae and Alphinaud, waiting to greet her.

"Welcome back Yugiri." Alisaie waved with a smile. "Alphinaud came to assist us. The others?"

"They are to participate in a battle that will win the favor of the Steppe." Yugiri explained simply. "Lord Hien stated that if we are to fight for Doma, we will need every last bit of help we can manage."

"Hah. Another battle for him, then." Alphinaud shook his head, shrugging lightly. "I heard about what happened. I am glad to see you and he seem to be in a good state."

"Ah… I apologize for putting us both in danger." Yugiri's head dropped dejectedly. "Though I should mention… when we went to meet with Lord Hien, Elway was uncharacteristically silent and hesitant. Stiff, I should say?"

"Was he not well after your ordeal?" Alphinaud questioned.

"He was fine, energetic even." Alisaie responded. "It seems that not until… ah."

"Until…?" Yugiri tilted her head quizzically.

"Until you made mention of Lord Hien," Alisaie held up a finger as she usually did when she was making a point. "When you made preparations to meet with him, were you not happier than usual? There seemed to be quite a spring in your step."

"Ah." Alphinaud grasped the situation. He made a poor attempt to hide a chuckle.

"Well, yes." Yugiri admitted. "It was finally time to bring our Lord back. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Pfft-!" Alphinaud's composure almost broke. Alisaie smacked him on the back of the head. "Y-you see, Elway's experiencing a bit of a childish emotion right now."

"What do you mean?" Yugiri asked, getting slightly frustrated that she wasn't understanding completely.

"Elway's jealous." Alisaie deadpanned at the both of them. It seemed as if a dam broke in Alphinaud's composure, and he began to laugh in full force.

"Unbelievable!" He gasped out in between laughs. "The Warrior of Light himself, _Elway_ , being jealous?"

A grin broke out on Yugii's face, matching the one Alphinaud was sporting. She shook her head softly.

"Oh, Elway, that fool…" She said warmly to herself, giggling softly.

 _I'll be sure to tease him when he returns._

 **Yanxia, House of the Fierce, Yugiri**

It was the night before their fateful battle for Doma Castle. Yugiri, Gosetsu and Hien were to ascend the castle one way after setting an explosion off to destroy the foundations of the castle, while Elway was to cause a disruption and rout the Garlean forces that defended the castle. It was a simple, but risky plan. Hien, Gosetsu and Elway were drinking together. Well, two of them were. Elway, poor drinker that he was, was unconscious, face planted firmly onto the table. Yugiri smiled softly from behind the wall she was hiding behind.

"If you've no intention of sleeping, Yugiri, you may as well join us." Hien called out, seeing right through her cover. Yugiri gasped, and swiftly stepped out from behind the wall.

"Forgive me my lord, I did not mean to, uh..." Yugiri stumbled upon her words. "If that is your will…"

Yugiri bowed, and walked to their table, taking a seat next to Elway and Hien.

"Are you prepared for the morrow?" Asked Hien, passing her a cup of alcohol.

"Of course." Yugiri nodded stiffly and downed the cup in one go. "We've been waiting so long for this moment."

"Good. It will be a hard battle." Hien crossed his arms. "One that we will not win without sacrifices."

"No battle is won without them. Especially not one important as this." Gosetsu slurred his words, still inebriated.

"Either way, we are glad that you are here and well now." Yugiri said to Hien. "For Lord Kaien."

"For Lord Kaien!" Shouted Gosetsu, in agreement with her. His shout caused Elway to shift in his sleep, groaning lightly.

Yugiri smiled at his dozing form, and resisted an urge to play with his messy hair. She unconsciously relaxed slightly, and she showed a warm expression.

"Hoh…." Hien grinned at her teasingly, stroking his chin with a hand. "Yugiri, showing such warmth!"

"Haha!" Gosetsu slapped a knee, his laughter filling the room. "If only you knew, my lord. She is almost a different person around Elway!"

Yugiri's head dropped in embarrassment, hiding her reddening face.

"Jests aside, I'm glad to see you've found a bit of happiness throughout your struggles." Hien's tone changed to a serious one. "We've talked quite a bit about you during our time in the Steppe. He cares for you a great deal."

"Maybe even more so than himself…" Yugiri mumbled. "I owe him and the others so much."

"And we will repay them." Hien took another drink. "Of that you can be sure."

"Yes, undoubtedly." Yugiri smiled. "My lord, shall I tell you more of our adventure in Eorzea?"

"Please do!" Hien joyously said. "I've heard you two truly became acquainted before his battle with… what was the name, Leviathan?"

"Ah, that's correct." Yugiri confirmed. "You see, to enter his domain…"

The three talked the night away, time seeming irrelevant to them. It was as if no tragedy had separated them.

And unbeknownst to them, Elway had awoken a little bit ago. He hid a smile in the crook of his arm as he pretended to sleep.

 **Doma Castle – Yugiri**

"GOSETSU!" Yugiri screamed, after seeing her friend shot. She glared hatefully at Yotsuyu, who had fired everything she had at Gosetsu.

The assault on Doma Castle had been successful for the most part, every person playing their part. Elway had only recently joined them, but now the only part that remained was to deal with Yotsuyu. But she…

"Get out from under there!" Elway shouted fiercely. "I'll hold it for the rest of you!"

"No." Gosetsu shook his head weakly, blood streaming down his face. "You must go."

"WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!" Elway began to run over to Gosetsu and attempt to take the burden of the falling roof from him, but Hien and Yugiri grabbed him by the shoulders. He tried to shake them off in blind anger.

"LET GO OF ME!" Elway roared. "I won't allow this sacrifice, not while I draw breath!"

"It has been… an honor." Gosetsu breathed out. "Elway, Yugiri… My lord.."

Hien gave a slow nod to Yugiri.

"I'm sorry for this, Elway." She said solemnly.

Elway found a fist in his gut, where he was wounded from his siege of Doma Castle. He began to black out, but tried desperately to stay conscious. A swift chop to the back of his neck finally put him to rest.

Hien looked at Gosetsu one final time.

"Be proud, Gosetsu." He spoke, trying to keep his voice from breaking. "You served us well, as a friend… and as family."

"I am, Shun…" Gosetsu smiled at Hien, still obviously struggling against the weight of the roof. "More than you know."

Yugiri and Hien carried Elway's unconscious body to the opening made in the castle and signaled their Yols to take them away. Yugiri attempted to stifle her tears, but the sight of Gosetsu made it futile. As they left, Yotsuyu began to sob quietly.

"You cast the die… Gambling was never my vice."

And so, the roof began to collapse.

 **Yanxia – Yugiri**

Yugiri's tears had stopped some time ago. Now, she stood overlooking the near ruins of Doma Castle. She felt no bitterness, only a solemn acceptance. She and one other stayed together in the night, in the same spot since the battle to take back Doma.

Her friend of so many years, Gosetsu, had stayed behind in the destroyed castle so they could escape.

Since Elway couldn't rest, he stayed to watch over the castle. Yugiri followed him in silence, but it was obvious that he knew she was there. Elway sat down in front of the huge body of water that once surrounded the grand Doma Castle.

While he sat down in silence, Yugiri put a hand on his shoulder from behind. He barely responded, nodding to her with a small, forced smile.

"I'm sorry." Yugiri softly said finally. "For what we did, as much as you desired to save him. I'm sorry."

"I understand." Elway replied, just as softly. "I was consumed by my emotions. Even if I had tried to help him, the castle would have collapsed before we could save him."

"Now you are being too rational." Yugiri shook her head. "I know it is a front. You're still blaming yourself."

"Knew I couldn't fool you." Elway sighed heavily. "You need not apologize for what you did. It was to save me. All I require is some time…"

"Gosetsu was prepared for this." Yugiri mumbled to him. "He knew that it was his time. You haven't failed anyone."

"Not just him." Elway said adamantly. "Even if I could not have saved Gosetsu, the viceroy…"

"Yotsuyu?" Yugiri's voice dripped with disdain. "What responsibility do you have to save _her_?"

"The Echo… after I was knocked unconscious." He stated simply. Yugiri tried to understand what he was on about. "I saw just about everything. I _felt_ everything. Yotsuyu was wrong, there is no doubt. But her life was filled with nothing but sorrow. _Everyone_ failed her. She shouldn't have become a tyrant, but in her position, so many would have. Tell me… how does a hero save someone who has fallen so far?"

"For her, perhaps the only mercy was the end." Yugiri answered. She had no sympathy for the woman, but Elway had lived through her darkest moments from her eyes. She still couldn't even entertain the thought of sparing the viceroy regardless of his thoughts.

"So, death we can do for them…" Elway mused, his eyes hidden from Yugiri's sight. "I can't s… never mind. I will return soon. You should rest as well."

"As you wish." Yugiri whispered, dejected.

She knew that was a roundabout way of saying that he needed to be alone. Yugiri turned away from him, and began to make her way back to the House of the Fierce. She knew even without him saying, what he felt.

'I can't save them after all.'

Yugiri's fists clenched unconsciously. She wished so much to understand. Yet Yotsuyu was among those that she could never forgive. Even as she heard that Yotsuyu had been abandoned and abused for most of her life, all she could focus on was the hatred she felt for the woman. For so many of her comrades. For Gosetsu.

Truthfully, Elway's words and distance from her were painful. Because as close as she was to him, his words showed her how differently they felt.

No matter where he adventured, he would mourn somebody. Even if that somebody was an enemy. Because no matter their pasts, their suffering, if he was to stay a hero it was his role to put an end to them.

 _Even if you can't save them, you've saved countless others. Is that not enough?_

 **Kugane – Yugiri**

"Go with them to Eorzea. Tell their people of our triumph, and our pledge to stand with them." Hien told her.

"By your leave. I shall pave the way for our new alliance."

Or so she had said. She didn't want to say that things had been incredibly awkward between her and Elway. The others had not quite caught on yet, but after their conversation following the battle for Doma Castle, few words had been exchanged between the two.

Of course, while she was eternally grateful for all of them, Elway was reserved. While by no means standoffish, he only spoke when spoken to.

While on the ship back to Eorzea, Elway decided to stay on the deck and observe the ocean instead of resting. Lyse and the others decided now was the best time to rest before the battle for Ala Mhigo truly began, and each went off to their temporary quarters.

Lyse, however, walked up to Yugiri and put a hand on her shoulder. Yugiri was about to ask what was the matter, before Lyse only smirked and nudged her towards the deck.

"Go on, talk to him." Lyse chided her. "I don't know what happened to you two, but the both of you look sullen. Come on now!"

"Ah…" Yugiri couldn't deny her statement but nervously looked around for an excuse to exit. "I… No, thank you Lyse."

Lyse gave her a thumbs up as she walked to her quarters, satisfied. Yugiri once more approached him from behind.

"Elway?"

He turned around, and greeted her with a small wave.

"Yugiri. What is it?" He smiled, but his eyes were tired.

"About what we spoke of." She said, and the smile faltered. "May I bother you for a while?"

"Sorry. I've been unlike myself, clearly." He replied. "Gosetsu would laugh if he saw."

"And Yotsuyu?" She asked hesitantly.

"It was the right decision to cut her down, I know."

"Even if it was, you needn't feel any guilt for your inability to save them. What you've done for Doma, we are in your debt. You've saved so many already."

Elway smiled at her.

"I appreciate it." He shook his head. "But the people I want to save… those that have been suffering for so long, yet still stand. Whether they make others suffer like Yotsuyu or protect others like Gosetsu. Those are the people I want to save."

"At your own risk?" She asked, her determined eyes locking with his exhausted ones. "People like her, they would hurt you."

"Yes." Elway nodded. "How can I call myself a hero if those that suffer the most are only dealt more suffering?"

"Some cannot be swayed. Some need to be stopped."

"I know. Like Thordan, Nidhogg, Yotsuyu… Perhaps even Zenos." He clutched the railing of the ship. "Their suffering can only be ended one way. But I'll be damned if I don't at least try."

Yugiri sighed and shrugged lightly.

"Of course… I cannot stop you, no matter how worried I become." Yugiri huffed, turning away from him. "Even though I cannot fully agree with you, I understand now. It is your nature after all, and I couldn't hold it against you."

Elway laughed a bit, but his slight exhaustion still showed.

"Thanks." Elway smiled once more, relaxing. "For understanding, and for dealing with me in all my annoyance."

"Yes, well…" Yugiri softly held his hand reassuringly. "I'm sure you can find a better way to thank me."

Elway's smile brightened as he brought himself closer to her. He held her chin up with his other hand and kissed her lightly as a response. He wrapped his hand around her waist, drawing her close to him. All the way to Eorzea, they stayed together on the deck, comfortably enjoying the peace of the ocean while they could.

 **Ala Mhigo – Yugiri**

Yugiri and Hien soared through the air on their respective Yols, cutting down any flying Garlean armors that they could.

Her blades found their mark in another flying armor, and she performed 2 quick mudras with her hands. She released the _Raiton_ , sending a bolt of lightning flying through the air, striking an armor to their side and causing it to go ballistic, crashing into the ground.

Hien finished slashing through another armor straight ahead of him, and turned to the Doman forces flying on their Yols. For now, the last of the air forces had been quelled.

"Let us help our comrades on the ground! With me!"

Hien's Yol descended rapidly towards a squadron of Garlean soldiers. The Domans followed suit with a battle cry. The mages opened fire at him, sending lightning and fire his way, but the Yol swiftly dodged each spell as Hien leapt off the bird and slashed at the approaching soldiers. Another soldier stabbed at him with a spear, but he parried the blow, and Yugiri dropped from her own Yol to _Assassinate_ the spear wielding soldier. The rest of the Doman forces dropped and engaged the squadron, swiftly routing the pressured Garlean forces.

"My lord, the palace!" Yugiri suggested, adrenaline pulsing. Hien nodded at her firmly, and ordered the Doman forces forward.

"Elway is fighting through the palace, is he not?" Hien grinned at her. "Let us aid him!"

Yugiri readied her blades as they rushed into the area, and found the Doman forces engaged with another group of Garleans. Yugiri performed 3 mudras with her hands, and slammed the ground, releasing a _Doton_ ninjutsu that enveloped the area, slowing the Garleans and allowing their forces to quickly defeat them.

"Keep advancing! We're almost there!"

They continued to fight through with little difficulty thanks to her and Hien, but were eventually met with a gate that blocked their further entry. They could still see through it, but until they could unlock it or get over it, they were stuck. Suddenly, several soldiers appeared behind them as they pondered how to open the gate, and a fight broke out.

Through the locked gate, she saw Elway marching through the palace now equipped with the soul crystal of a monk, wearing a white, open vest line with fur that was opened, leaving his chest and body fairly exposed. He wore a pair of white trousers, his waist wrapped with a tiger pelt and one of his legs armored with gold plates. On his hands, he wore gauntlets that glowed with light, also lined with a tiger pelt.

A group of Garleans blocked his path, a Magitek weapon backing them up. Elway broke into a sprint, and leapt over the group before channeling his aether into his arms, slamming into the ground and creating a shockwave, a _Howling Fist._ The soldiers were thrown up into the air as he dashed into the Magitek weapon, charging his chakras. He stunned the weapon temporarily by tackling into it with his shoulder, and uppercut the machine with an explosion, releasing all his chakras and destroying the machine.

The path cleared, and he saw Yugiri and Hien through the gate. He nodded at them and continued to rush to the throne room. Yugiri watched him go, unable to say anything, and prayed for his safety quietly, anxiously.

 _Elway, please… live._

 **The Royal Menagerie – Yugiri**

A set of feet crushed the flowers of the menagerie, rushing to find the viceroy. And their hero. Yugiri rushed far ahead of the Doman group, anxious about the state of Elway.

She stopped in the opening of the menagerie, breathing heavily. A few minor wounds from glancing blows, but nothing enough to slow her down. Some of the Scions were already there, looking worried.

"Yugiri!" Lyse called out, and ran towards her. "Elway went after Zenos, and the primal, he… Gods, I don't know anymore!"

"Just a moment. I understand he must be fighting right now, but… where?"

Alphinaud tried to comfort Lyse by patting her arm and stepping forward.

"As we were fighting our way here, we saw Elway rushing through the bridge of the menagerie. And he was fighting the primal that Ilberd summoned… Shinryu."

"Zenos must have found the primal and manipulated it somehow…!" Lyse yelled in frustration. "The bridge is destroyed now, and Elway followed the primal into the sky!"

"There's nothing for it but to wait for him! He's triumphed all this time, hasn't he?" Alphinaud tried to reassure her, but his voice faltered slightly as he spoke, and his fingers trembled slightly unconsciously.

"This is on a different scale!" Lyse cried indignantly. "Against that _dragon_ , alone?! Ilberd even said it was like a second coming of the dreadwyrm! Papalymo even said…"

"He's stronger now, is he not?!"

Off to the side while the two started arguing, Yugiri lost her strength. Elway had always come back to them. No matter what, he returned from his adventures victorious. But something was different this time. She felt so frightened.

She clutched a hand to her breast, breathing beginning to accelerate. Her head pounded as she imagined Elway being defeated, crushed by the wyrm's massive strength.

Elway had suffered defeat at Bahamut's wrath twice. The first was during the Calamity, where everyone but Louisoix was powerless against the dreadwyrm. He watched helplessly, along with several other adventurers, as the wyrm turned everything to ash. He was only saved as he had given up hope, by Lousoix, who sent him into the future with a powerful spell.

The second time, he fought the essence of Bahamut in the primal's heart. He had certainly died during the battle, he said. The same _Teraflare_ that brought about the Calamity had killed him, he had thought. But once more, Louisoix saved him. He vowed to never say how, but his demeanor proved that surely it was at a price. From the ashes of defeat he rose, and put an end to Bahamut once and for all.

So now that Elway was faced with another primal, one in the same league as Bahamut, how could she not be frightened?

 _Elway, I cannot lose you too…!_

Yugiri dropped to her knees, despondent.

"Oh, kami, please…."

Alphinaud and Lyse rushed to her side, putting their hands on her shoulders, and their quarrel aside.

"Yugiri, are you alright?" Lyse called, but her voice fell upon unhearing ears.

"Should we call a healer? Alphinaud asked, but no answer came.

 _He'll come home to me, won't he…?_

"Please, keep our promise…" Yugiri cried weakly. She clutched the bracelet on her wrist in desperation. "I beg of you…!"

Lyse pulled her into a rough hug. Yugiri faintly felt Lyse rubbing her back comfortingly. Alphinaud tried desperately to find any sign of Elway, but he only saw the crushed ruins of their arena from the first half of their battle.

They stayed close together for a long moment, until a green light began to fall from the heavens. A huge concentration of aether surrounding the falling person hummed, faintly protecting them before they hit the ground, sending flower petals into the air.

The figure coughed blood onto the floor, attempting to stand. Lyse and Alphinaud's anger surged, preparing for a battle.

"Hah… hah… The hunt… ends…"

"Zenos!" Lyse readied the blade attached to her wrist. "Where's Elway?!"

Zenos ignored her fury, and continued to ramble in a hallucinatory state.

"Ah… such joy. Transcendent joy I have never known." He reached a bloody hand out to the sky. "How invigorating. How pure, this feeling…"

"Was that what this was all about?!" Lyse questioned, still enraged. "All this meaningless death and destruction? So you could _feel_ something?!"

"Hah, meaningless? Men die so that others may live." Zenos stated simply, blood dripping from his mouth. "Like your precious hero. As I said… the hunt ends. We who survive are stronger for it."

"You couldn't have!" Lyse screamed. "You monster!"

"Not that any of you could have understood. To have stood upon this great stage of fools, and to have played my part to perfection…" Zenos raised his blade once more. "Oh… this moment… Let it be enshrined in eternity! My heart, beating out of time… so clear, so vivid, so real… So real…"

Yugiri couldn't move. She had fought so hard to get to Elway, only for him to disappear before she could see him. Before she could help him at all.

"He's gone…" Yugiri whispered, her will shattered. She sobbed softly as it began to sink in. She gripped the bracelet tight as she broke down, the pressure beginning to form a bruise. Her sobs turned to broken cries, her vision turned to a blur through the tears.

Alphinaud made a move to try and help her up, to get her away from this scene. Instead, her blades were drawn in an instant. Her strength gathered for one moment. She dashed towards Zenos in a blur of movement, pure hatred driving her forward. Revenge was all she sought… and then, what?

Before she could reach him, he put his own blade to his neck.

"Coward!" Alphinaud shouted at the man.

"Stop!" Lyse yelled.

Yugiri's blades went for Zenos' neck, but she could not reach him in time.

"I'll be joining you soon… My first friend. My enemy."

The katana slit his throat swiftly. Blood spilled forth from his neck, staining the flowers gruesomely. Zenos' body fell, heavily hitting the ground unceremoniously.

Yugiri stopped weakly, her face contorting once more to despair. Her chance at vengeance gone, and nowhere to direct her anger towards, she dropped her daggers weakly and let out a frustrated yell. She dropped to her knees, punching the ground furiously, over and over again until Lyse and Alphinaud rushed to stop her from hurting herself. Each of them took her arms, but she struggled against them, desperately trying to shake her off.

Only when did she hear the muffled sounds of Alphinaud sobbing did she falter. The young Elezen boy tried with all his might to hold her back, despite the sorrow he was consumed by. Lyse, in turn, grit her teeth, planted her feet while trying to stay strong, holding her arm in a vice.

"I'm so sorry." Yugiri apologized hoarsely. "I'm such a fool."

Alphinaud released his hold on her as his hands covered his face, now crying in full force. He looked so much more the child he actually was, instead of the strong front he tried to show.

Yugiri only turned to face him and wrapped him in a hug that he returned forlornly. He gripped onto her as if she was their hero. He was like Elway's little brother. He must have been hurting as much, if not more than her. Lyse weakly dropped her hands and looked downwards.

 _She must be blaming herself…_ Yugiri thought, and took Lyse's hand softly. She hoped that she would understand. It wasn't her fault.

"Oh, gods…" Lyse said, voice quiet.

Yugiri only held back another set of tears and hugged Alphinaud tighter.

 **? – Elway**

 _So, this is it._

Elway was left in the shattered and crumbling arena, soon to succumb to his wounds.

Shinryu was defeated, and Zenos should have lacked any strength left to fight. But Elway was the same.

Hardly any aether to reliably cast a teleport or return spell. Gashes cut deep into his body from Shinryu's claws. Armor and clothes burnt from the spells and blasts of energy thrown his way. Some bones broken from being blindsided by the wyrm's tail.

 _I must stand. I must save so many others._

Crumpled in the middle platform, he tried to stand using his axe as support, but could not lift himself at all. Shattered remains of some of his weapons were scattered around him. A spear with the blade shattered, Brionac. The battered and torn gauntlets, Sudarshana Chakra. A Holy Shield almost crushed and burned to cinders from the formation of a _Protostar_ , along with its matching blade, Curtana. His Ruby Tide Uchigatana's blade was broken, leaving the weapon in two. Bravura, his trusted axe, was marred from gigantic claw marks, the blade of the axe frayed from the battle. He struggled, attempted to force himself to get up, to return to his comrades, but his strength was gone. He already felt himself beginning to fade.

"Looks like I won't be able to come home this time…"

His eyes began to close. His consciousness flickered, and the only final thoughts he had were muttered through his lips.

"I'm sorry."

And then, the platform beneath him crumbled to pieces. His body fell alongside the cracked pieces of Shinryu's Domain, though his eyes did not open. His limp form fell straight to the ground, unprotected. The remains of many of his weapons fell to the ground alongside him, some of the more undamaged weapons were absorbed into their Soul Crystals. The hilt of his Ruby Tide Uchigatana was too damaged, and fell straight to the ground below.

Suddenly, a light appeared from the crystal Elway carried. A voice rang out that he did not hear.

His body disappeared into light, and was transported into the Lifestream. While Elway floated through, a spell was cast to transport him.

Unbeknownst to him, he appeared in the realm of the Mother Crystal Hydaelyn. The mother crystal appeared before him but did not say anything. Instead, it wrapped him in a shield of light, mended his wounds slightly and provided him a small portion of aether, just enough to keep him alive.

 _This world, these people, still need you, Warrior of Light._

And then, he was falling once more. His body wrapped in a gentle light fell slowly, not enough to rouse him from his state of borderline death.

Nighttime had already come for Ala Mhigo, and one person still stood in the Royal Menagerie. A Raen Au Ra, still in mourning.

 **The Royal Menagerie – Yugiri**

Despite the celebration of freedom for Ala Mhigo, and the defeat of the Garleans for this day, she could not smile, or cheer. She did not even have any tears left to shed. She was simply tired, and desired solitude.

They hadn't revealed anything to the public yet regarding the Warrior of Light. The wound was too fresh, and some of the Scions had been searching for him endlessly since the battle was over, hoping for a sign, any small clue that could tell them about Elway.

They could only find one clue, before nightfall. The hilt of a katana, the one she gave to him. Thancred gave it to her with a somber look earlier and left her to her own.

 _It wasn't any easier for him, clearly…_

She held the broken weapon, along with her bracelet and struggled to stop the despair from overtaking her.

Zenos' body had been taken away for burial, and all that remained in the menagerie was the beautiful flowers that swayed with the wind.

The viceroy who had almost taken everything from her was dead. She should have taken some solace in that fact, but the cost was too great. Sitting in the middle of a flowerbed, she drew her knees in, warming herself slightly.

She didn't know why she chose to come here again, the place which may as well have been his grave. Perhaps it was the small feeling that a part of him was still here. Regardless, she had to leave soon. Her body was much too exhausted to stay awake much longer, and Hien was to return to Doma soon. So would she, and leave Elway's home behind.

She had a selfish wish, to stay in Eorzea and at least attempt to help the Scions. They had known him so much longer, and most certainly did they need someone to be there for them.

Yugiri stood up and brushed the dirt off her already messy clothing. She grimaced at her state, her wounds having been treated but she hadn't changed out of her usual attire since the end of the battle. She brushed her messy locks of hair out of her face somberly and began to walk back to the city of Ala Mhigo.

She turned around one final time, and noticed a light shining above her. It was descending slowly, ever so slowly, but as she watched it come closer her hope grew stronger. She ignored her fatigue, and rushed to the cocoon of light that slowly fell to the ground, as it finally landed softly on the flowerbed she had just been sitting on.

"It can't be…" Yugiri kneeled on the flowerbed, waiting impatiently for the light to disappear. "But… please, if it truly is…"

The light softly dissipated, and Yugiri let out a choked gasp. She came closer to the figure that appeared from the light, and suddenly found herself crying once more.

Elway lay there, wounded, but alive. His breath was calm, and he was unconscious, but _alive_. Yugiri didn't know how, but all she cared about was that he _lived!_

She cried as she held his form softly, his blood staining her clothes but it didn't matter to her. She rushed to activate her linkpearl, and call a Scion to help him. The quick movement made the hero stir, but she was desperately trying to contact anyone.

Elway's eyes opened slowly. As if not expecting to be alive, he tried moving, but his body was too damaged. All he could see was the tear-stained face of Yugiri, begging for someone to come to the Menagerie.

"Ugh… the afterlife is… a bit more cruel than I'd imagined." Elway's voice croaked out.

Yugiri looked at him in shock, unable to hide the overjoyed expression on her face. The linkpearl she had just used began to ramp up in volume, the voice of Lyse in shock at the voice she'd heard. Yugiri couldn't hold herself back any longer, and hugged him fiercely.

"This is no afterlife," Yugiri kissed him as his eyes widened. She held him close, afraid he would disappear. "You've kept your promise…! You came home…"

"But I…" Elway flinched at the pain from his wounds. Yugiri drew back from him apologetically, but tried to stay as close as she could. "I suppose I did…"

Elway ignored the pain from his wounds, and propped himself up shakily. Yugiri supported him as best she could.

"I'm alive…" Elway said, the feeling unreal.

"I love you, Elway." Yugiri said suddenly, the statement out of the blue, containing her true feelings. "Thank you for returning to me…"

Several footsteps came rushing up the stairs of the Menagerie, and several the Scions burst out into the menagerie, all of them sporting smiles, seeing Elway confused, but awake and well. Alphinaud and Alisaie ran over first, followed by Lyse. Y'shtola kept her smile, and readied staff happily to prepare healing alongside Krile. Thancred and Arenvald laughed in disbelief, happily muttering "That bastard!" Urianger smiled off to the side, crossing his arms as if he expected this outcome.

Raubahn and Hien soon came, cheering as they saw their friend.

"Everyone… I'm home."

 **The Ruby Sea – Yugiri**

After the battle for Ala Mhigo and Doma was over, and Elway returned to them somehow, a new start for both nations was underway. Naturally, it was an incredibly busy time. Yugiri returned to Doma with Hien a few days later so that they could begin rebuilding Doma properly with their comrades.

Elway saw her off with a smile, as he knew they were both about to be busy. Cid needed some help with finding the remains of Omega, the weapon they released, and Ala Mhigo as a recovering nation needed all the help they could get. Secretly, she wished he'd come along but even after shortly recovering from his wounds, he could never stay still for long.

However, Hien told her that he had received a message from her from the Ruby Sea. That message made her anxious, simply telling her to wait at the Ruby Price after getting there from Kugane. It was so close to her former home, but she was forbidden to go there.

Still, she did as she was bid. It wasn't likely to be an enemy ambush, given Hien's rather joyous demeanor, but being so close to her birthplace made her hesitant all the same. As she arrived at the Ruby Price, a Kojin man came over and waved at her.

"Ah, Soroban!" Yugiri waved, smiling. "What brings you here?"

"I was requested to bring you somewhere, Lady Yugiri!" The Kojin laughed jovially. "Come, come, we'll be using the boat."

She gratefully accepted the assistance, and hopped onto the boat alongside Soroban. The two talked cordially about their experiences since the Garleans had been driven out, relaxing in the short break they were given.

Finally, they arrived. Soroban stopped rowing the boat, and nodded at Yugiri, who looked temporarily frightened.

"We are here. You know where this is, correct?" Soroban said comfortingly.

"We are… above Sui-no-Sato." She confirmed.

"You have the blessing to swim properly, I'm sure." Soroban patted her on the shoulder with a rough hand. "Go then!"

"I cannot." Yugiri shook her head. "I've been forbidden… who asked you to bring me here?" She asked finally.

"You shall see. Come on then." Soroban encouraged her.

Yugiri took a deep breath, and dived into the ocean after nodding at Soroban. The water assaulted her senses as she closed her eyes, but once she opened them she could clearly see her birthplace. Nostalgia overtook her as she instinctively began swimming to the village. She stopped just short of the gate into the village, hesitant of why someone would call her here.

 _Even so, I have returned, finally…_

Taking a deep breath once more to try and quell her fear, she swam through the gate, landing onto the soft sand of Sui-no-Sato. She looked around, and she instantly made eye contact with two people who seemed to be waiting for her. She gasped in elation, and ran towards the two.

Yungai, Ihanami. Her precious parents…!

Her parents ran forward to her as well, and hugged her tightly.

"Yugiri!" Yungai said through tears. "Our daughter, I cannot express how happy we are to see you again…!"

"Thank the kami!" Ihanami grinned, rubbing his daughter's head.

"Mother, father…" Yugiri said shyly. "The feeling is mutual. I cannot believe that I am able to see you again. But… how? Were you the ones to call me here?"

"The new Ruby Princess requested your presence, and well…" Yunagi began. "It's a bit of a story. Won't you come to our home?"

"If it is permissible by the Princess…" Yugiri mumbled.

"Of course. We'll explain everything there." Ihanami led her by patting her on the back with a grin.

As they walked to their home, several of the resident of Sui-no-Sato smiled and waved at her, cheering upon seeing her again. None of them bore any ill will, save for perhaps the high priest of the village watching her carefully. The Ruby Princess was nowhere to be found, still.

As they brought her into her home, they bid her to sit down as Yunagi went to pour tea for her. Ihanami kneeled down with her, asking her several questions of her life now, and her experiences. Her parent's lives had been safe since she had left, thankfully, and her father reacted with surprise and concern at all the fighting she had done.

It had been a long time since her mother left for the tea, and Yugiri became concerned.

"Where did Mother go?"

"Hah, do not worry child, she will be here momentarily." Ihanami smiled once more to reassure her. "So, I hear you've quite the relationship with a certain adventurer…?"

"Wha-! Where did you hear that?!" Yugiri sputtered, blushing deeply.

She suddenly remembered that he visited Sui-no-Sato on his journey, in search of a jewel, but to tell her parents of their relationship so easily?

 _How embarrassing…_

"A-ahem…" Yugiri attempted to compose herself, despite a reddened face. "That's right…"

"Oho, so I guessed correctly?" Ihanami smirked at his own deception of her. "Very interesting!"

"That was unfair!" Yugiri protested, but her father only laughed heartily at her. "I thought Elway had told you!" A presence at the door interrupted their moment, and her father went to receive the guest.

Her father came back with her mother in tow, but also someone else. A Raen woman with pale skin, and hair red as rubies. Yugiri instantly kneeled at her presence.

"Your Highness, forgive my rudeness!" Yugiri said hastily. The Ruby Princess put her hands up, surprised.

"Please, do not be so formal on my account!" The Princess said as she drew back. "You need not show me such respect, especially in your own home. Truthfully, it makes me a tad anxious…"

"Ah… my apologies." Yugiri spoke unsurely. "I was banished from here by your predecessor, but my mother said that you had called me here."

"Oh, yes. Before we continue, my name is Kurenai, and as you know, I am the acting Ruby Princess." Kurenai bowed to her, performing a curtsy with her elaborate dress with a smile. "And by my authority, you are hereby pardoned. Your banishment from Sui-no-Sato is lifted."

"What?!" Yugiri was in shock, yet she was still overjoyed. She could return to her home and see her family as she pleased, finally. "So easily?"

"Well, yes." Kurenai giggled. "Personally, I believe my predecessor made the wrong decision. You left to protect us, did you not? Also, such rigid tradition does not quite sit well with me."

"Th…thank you for your kindess. Truly." Yugiri bowed her head to Kurenai, at a loss.

"You flatter me, but your thanks should be directed towards another." Kurenai gave Yugiri a mysterious smile. She looked to the door of the house, and coughed inconspicuously.

"Ah, Hisui, are you finished?" A voice that Yugiri instantly recognized spoke up from behind the door and walked into the room. Elway, dressed in his Scion Adventurer's attire, grinning brightly.

"Elway?!" Yugiri said in elated shock.

"Ah, Elway! You've ruined it!" Kurenai, or… Hisui, reprimanded him.

"Oh, you are Lady Hisui? My apologies!" Ihanami bowed to Hisui, who only sighed.

"Ah. Just as well, then. It doesn't make too much of a difference, does it?" Elway shrugged lazily.

"Ugh… seeing as how I am technically not the Ruby Princess, could it not cause her to worry?" Hisui put her hands on her hips while narrowing her eyes at Elway.

"Eh… Kurenai gave you permission, didn't she?" Elway offered with a smile. "Besides, she's off shirking her duties onto you, so it should be fine! I hope!"

"The mere fact that you added that last part is reason enough for worry…" Hisui groaned, but turned her full attention to Yugiri. "Ahem… allow me to explain; I am not the true Ruby Princess, but merely her lady-in-waiting. Occasionally I will… take her place, so to speak, but she has authorized your pardoning, this much is true."

"I apologize, I am still confused…" Yugiri held a hand to her temple. "I understand you are speaking for the Ruby Princess, but why have I been pardoned? And where is the Ruby Princess? And why is Elway here?"

"Well, as I've said, you've been pardoned because of our general disagreement with the tradition that had banished you. You simply did what you thought best for your home." Hisui said with a wide smile.

"Oh, the real Kurenai is off lazing about. She's been busy as the Ruby Princess, so they switched roles for some time." Elway cut in, rolling his eyes.

"And Elway is here because of you." Hisui grabbed Elway by the lapel of his jacket as he grinned nervously. "He is the one who requested you be pardoned, after all, and the one who requested Soroban to bring you here besides. And how could we refuse the one who saved me from my predicament at Shisui?"  
"Shiosai, the high priest, was against it…" Elway rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke. "But hell's bells, he's against everything."

"True, he's quite the strict man." Hisui giggled. "But he gives in easily to Kurenai!"

"He's a pushover when you two are involved." Elway shot back.

"You mean, I truly am welcome home? Whenever I may?" Yugiri asked in disbelief.

"Of course, we've said as much many times already!" Hisui reassured her. "Sui-no-Sato is your home."

"Welcome back, our daughter." Yungai hugged Yugiri once more. "You may have your duties in Doma, but we are always here for you."

"That's right." Ihanami ruffled her hair, reminding Yugiri of her childhood. "Do not forget to visit when you are able!"

"I will…" Yugiri said on the verge of tears. "Thank you all…"

 **Kugane, Bokairo Inn – Yugiri**

Yugiri returned alongside Elway after her official pardoning in Sui-no-Sato to Kugane, before the two would again part ways. Yugiri was to return to the Doman Enclave to assist with reconstruction, and Elway to Ala Mhigo to discuss the new system of government. Of course, before then, they needed some amount of rest.

Now, they sat across from each other as Elway told her about his battle in the Rift, trials that were set against him by Omega, the foes he had fought were fictional, but the damage they could cause was real. Elway and Yugiri were both dressed in comfortable yukatas, already prepared to sleep for the night.

"Yes, apparently trees can cast strong magic and wear armor…" Elway recalled, shuddering slightly. "Ah, but enough of that. How has the reconstruction been proceeding?"

"Well enough. It will be a slow process, but the cooperation we've achieved it astounding." Yugiri nodded. "There's been some odd men from the Steppe lately, however… from the Buduga tribe, I believe?"

Elway went pale at the mention of the tribe.

"Oh, gods, the Buduga…"

"Hm? Are they dangerous?" Yugiri tilted her head, they didn't seem to be a great threat.

"In a certain way, yes…" Elway looked away. "You see, they've an interest in kidnapping… _strong_ men… Just watch over Hien, alright?"

"Pfft… Hahaha!" Yugiri burst out into laughter. "Sounds like you've had quite the run-in with them!"

"They're persistent!" Elway replied, slightly embarrassed as her laughter grew.

"Alright, very well." Yugiri's laughter subsided, but her smile remained. "I'll be careful with letting them do as they please.

"Ugh, please do…" Elway rubbed his temples. "Should we start sleeping now? We'll both be traveling quite a bit in the morning."

"Hm… before that, I've something to say." Yugiri's voice turned serious. "Elway, I owe you so much now… Especially after allowing me to finally return home."

"You don't owe me anything Yugiri." Elway shook his head with a smile. "You've more than earned the right to return. I only gave the Princess a suggestion."

"Not only that. For Doma, for Ala Mhigo, and for me…" Yugiri leaned forward and kissed Elway lightly. "You've done so much."

Elway blushed intensely, and felt for something on his person.

"Ah… In that case, Yugiri…" Elway resolved himself and reached inside for what he was looking for. "I was meaning to wait a bit longer for this, but to hell with it.

Elway took out a small box that made Yugiri's heart skip several beats. He reached inside, and pulled out a silver bracelet with a single, white gem in the center.

"You know what this is, don't you?" He asked nervously.

Yugiri nodded swiftly as her heart began pounding out of her chest.

"A promise wristlet… for a Ceremony of Eternal Bonding." Yugiri confirmed, eyes wide, her blush matching Elway's.

"I said I would give you a proper proposal later…" Elway said, recalling the words he told her in Yanxia, what seemed like so long ago. "I know we are both incredibly busy, but someday we'll have a proper chance to have a ceremony."

"Elway…" Yugiri covered her mouth with her hand, tears beginning to fall.

"Yugiri, I love you. Would you be mine?"

"You know my answer already." Yugiri hugged Elway happily. "And you, too, will be mine."

The two kissed passionately as Yugiri took the bracelet from him. Elway's breath was hot on her lips as he picked her up by the waist, and she moaned against him as he began planting fervent kisses down her neck, the yukata beginning to fall from her shoulders. She led him to the bed of the inn room and undid his yukata swiftly, pulling him on top of her as she fell onto the bed, smiling brightly at him all the while.

And of course, both of them did not sleep a wink that night.

 **Side Story 7 – Her Home**

 **A/N:** There it is! It took me quite a while to get this all done, but now that the semester is over and I did pretty well in all my classes, it's a bit of a celebration. I wrote this because Yugiri remains one of my favorite characters, and to have a different perspective on Stormblood, especially with her and Elway's relationship. It was a nice way to try and write Elway's struggles from a different side. Also, sometime I do wanna try writing Shinryu's fight at some point, I implied it was intense here but if I get the chance I'll take a crack at it. There was a ton to cover here, and I really hope you liked it! Next update will be very soon, I've been writing it alongside this side story (and again, it'll be based on 4.3 events so beware of them spoilers if you haven't played it yet!).

As always, thank you so much for reading and please leave a review!

 **Edit:** Just fixed a few typos and a couple lines that didn't sit well with me.


	30. Side Story 8

**A/N:** Heya readers! This side story is very heavily based on the events in Patch 4.3, Under the Moonlight, and this is probably the first time in the story where I will diverge from canon very heavily, and I'll explain why in the A/N at the end. I was planning to have this side story based on other Stormblood events, but this story arc hit me so hard I need to write this out of me to feel a bit better. If you haven't played it, should probably skip this for now! Super heavy MSQ spoilers ahead!

To **phuxeds:** Thanks for the review! I hope this side story meets your expectations, 4.3 was one of my favorite story arcs so I tried to make this as best I could.

To **tryal-leaf:** Glad to see you enjoyed the chapter! It was a really long one to write, but I had fun writing it. I also really hope she gets reunited with her parents, she's earned it at this point! As always, thanks for the review, and hope you enjoy!

 **Side Story 8 – Moon's Fall**

 **Castrum Fluminis – Elway**

The room became filled with the aether of the newly summoned primal as Elway clenched his fist.

Yotsuyu, now Tsukuyomi, floated over him as he drew Bravura. Elway made sure that the others were retreated and stared her down.

"Don't do this." Elway warned through grit teeth. "We don't have to fight, I know what you-"

"It is not your place to decide what I must do!" Tsukuyomi all but screamed at him. "All of Doma will be crushed underfoot, THAT is my purpose!"

"No!" Elway roared back. "It isn't too late, you can still return!"

"Return to WHERE?!" The primal bellowed.

A blast of dark aether filled the area, a _Reprimand._ Elway brought up his axe to defend himself, running forward.

"Fine then…" Bravura was raised above Elway's head as he burst through the attack. "No matter what I must do, I'll save you!"

Elway leapt up with Bravura and slammed the flat side of the axe into the Tsukuyomi's side. He spun around once more and aimed a punch at her face. Tsukuyomi calmly breathed a mist from her pipe, and a cloud of _Midnight Haze_ took her place, and she disappeared, teleporting. His fist instantly destroyed the cloud, but he turned around and several fans began to surround him. Elway landed on the ground, and with a furious roar he spun with his axe, creating a _Steel Cyclone_ that blew the fans away before they could assail him.

Tsukuyomi appeared in front of him, wielding a gun of _Nightfall_.

"Beg for mercy."

She fired, unleashing a burst of lead that pierced into Elway's armor. Elway glared at her without flinching, and held his ground. She unleashed another blast of dark aether, but it was quelled by Elway raising Bravura overhead and slamming it downwards, the attack creating a wave of fire that _Overpowered_ the attack.

"Even if you are not Tsuyu any longer, please!" Elway lowered his weapon ever so slightly. "You mustn't do this. For him!"

"QUIET!" Tsukuyomi screamed at him. Aether began to gather around her in massive quantities. "Struggle all you wish, your death will be all the sweeter!"

The aether began to take form, and Elway prepared himself for the worst. He braced himself, a blue shield taking form around him.

The attack exploded in its fury, taking the shape of a _Nightbloom_. A red moon appeared, the primal's power displaying itself in full. Elway let out a cry of pain but stayed standing. In the aftermath of the attack, Tsukuyomi began to fall to the ground.

"Why does it fade away…?"

The arena became shrouded in dark, and Elway's vision was obscured, the only assurance that he was still awake was the soft voice of Tsukuyomi.

"Ah… I understand. It feeds on my spite. On my suffering."

A light began to pour out from the middle of the area, and in the primal's place, Yotsuyu once more sat calmly. Elway began to reach a hand out.

"Come forth, shades of the dead! Curse my name! Strike my body!" She called out.

Two figures began to form on the far side of the arena, and Elway grit his teeth in frustration. Her worthless adopted parents, or rather, shades of them, began to take shape.

She created shades of her former torment to further her power.

"Fill my soul with blackest malice!"

The two shades walked forward, wielding tools of farmers. They struck her, but she did not scream. She only glared at them as they berated her, repeating abusive slander as they hurt her.

"Yes, my _dearest_ parents." Her voice dripped in venomous sarcasm. A wicked smile appeared on her face. "I was the bane of your existence unto the very end!"

Elway furiously appeared in front of her, and in one sweep of his axe the two figures were cut down.

"Don't do this, damn you!" He shouted at her. "Doma has failed you, this is true, but it isn't too late!"

Yotsuyu grimaced at his statement, but ignored him. Another figure began to form.

"Fight like your life depends on it, dear sister." A mocking voice rang out. "You wouldn't want to disappoint me."

"Asahi…" Elway seethed.

"You, more than any other…" Yotsuyu muttered to herself.

"It should have been ME!" The voice hissed.

Asahi's white figure dashed out and slashed at Yotsuyu, who drew back from the pain, but still took it head on. Before he could strike her again, a chain shot out and held him in place.

"I've no idea what you mean, but piss off!" Elway's axe found its mark in the shade's chest, and the shade lashed out with his katana. It collided with Elway's gauntlet, and shattered as Elway launched an _Upheaval_ with his fist into the shade, slaying it.

"He convinced you of this charade, didn't he?!" Elway asked with anger in his eyes. "Enough of this! Why listen to that scum _now_ of all times? Hasn't he hurt you?!"

Yotsuyu grit her teeth, and focused once more. This shade would be the one to end it all.

"Your pitiful fortunes can bring you no lower."

An explosion of _Concentrativity_ threw Elway back, stunning him. He kneeled on the floor, unable to move, and glared at the shade. _Zenos._

The shade of the Garlean prince walked forward and slashed at Yotsuyu multiple times. She welcomed the suffering in stride.

"You have come to deliver judgement for my failure?" Yotsuyu sneered. "Cut me down then. Surely it is a simple task!"

"STOP!" Elway shouted from his stunned position. "You've suffered enough!"

The shade of Zenos raised his blade high.

"Begone." It said coldly.

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared from Yotsuyu.

"Stay behind me, Tsuyu!"

A new shade formed, this time unintentionally brought forth by Yotsuyu. The shade rushed forth, slashing at the shade of Zenos. It stood protectively in front of Yotsuyu, blade held at the ready.

Gosetsu.

"Why…? You have no place here…" Yotsuyu softly spoke, her spiteful tone turning solemn.

The shade of Zenos struck down upon Gosetsu's blade, and he struggled against it, determined to protect his charge.

"You see?" Elway spoke, standing now to her side. "Even you realize. Despite not wanting to accept it."

"You must survive, Tsuyu!" Gosetsu's shade called out. It pushed its blade forward, temporarily throwing the shade of Zenos off balance, and struck cleanly, instantly slaying the other shade.

"Live." Said the shade, as it disappeared into light.

"You need him, as he needs you." Elway tried to reason with her, Bravura all but dropped at this point.

Yotsuyu froze for a long moment, her eyes hidden by her long hair, before speaking.

"Perhaps…"

Elway smiled at her and kneeled down to offer her a hand.

"But it is too late for me." She continued somberly. "There can be no redemption."

The aether formed of her suffering swirled and began to form an attack once more.

"NO!" Elway tried to stop her, but her body began to float into the air, and in a flash of light the same attack decimated the area.

"A _Nightbloom_ shall flower here upon the site of my demise…"

The spell exploded, the red moon descended once more, and several spider lilies surrounding and spinning around Elway, but no cry of pain was let out.

 _She intends for me to kill her here. Believing that she must die to atone?_

 _Because the kindness offered to her by Gosetsu is something she believes she cannot repay, and does not deserve. That him protecting her is a mistake?_

Elway stood standing all throughout the attack, his hand gripping Bravura tightly.

"Seeking death, are you?" His voice rang out, only barely heard by Yotsuyu as she unleashed her attack. "Another eikon to be slain by the gods damned Warrior of Light."

Elway's fury exploded, and manifested itself around him in a display of power. An _Inner Release_ of his rage that protected and strengthened him. He commanded the beast inside rampaging, and stood with his eyes glowing a beastly red, the release of fury cutting straight through the _Nightbloom._

"I refuse your selfish wish." Elway spoke, after the attack dissipated and Tsukuyomi took Yotsuyu's place.

"Even if I must defeat you, I WILL save you!" He declared, several sawblades of aether surrounding him as he declared his intent. A fire surrounded him as his fury flared, the glare causing even the primal to flinch.

Bravura was slashed forward, the sawblades cleaving alongside it as Tsukuyomi infused the arena with moonlight. The change in aether sapped Elway's strength, but he struck again at Tsukuyomi, who staggered after being struck twice. A blade of white moonlight was summoned, stabbing at Elway.

He knocked it aside in his rampage, and Bravura found it's mark yet again in the primal's arm. Tsukuyomi grunted in pain, and several orbs of lunar energy exploded around Elway, blowing him away and marring his armor. He landed on his feet unsteadily, and as he looked up several fans were launched his way, forcing him to defend himself. He leapt high into the air to avoid some of the fans, and what few fans were in his way he slashed in a forward flip. Now next to Tsukuyomi once more, he took a defiant stance and launched an uppercut with Bravura at the primal, releasing his _Inner Beast._

The moonlight in the arena exploded in _Antitwilight_ , only slightly harming Elway but blinding his vision.

"No… not yet." She said in an almost whisper. "Not. Yet."

A huge number of slashes came forth from the center of the arena, and Tsukuyomi now stood in an aggressive stance, holding a blade of white moonlight in her left hand and a blade of dark in her right. Elway staggered back, the effects of his _Inner Release_ fading.

"This is far from over!" The primal hissed at him. "My bloodied hands have much left to accomplish!"

"No, this ends here!" Elway replied confidently. He held out a hand, revealing a soul crystal of silver and gold. In a flash of light, his Warrior armor changed to the red robes of a Samurai, and his axe had changed into a katana, the Kiku-Ichimonji.

Elway's aether surged, in a bright flash of light as he raised his blade high.

"It's time to rest, Yotsuyu." He spoke calmly.

Elway's limits broke, and he began a flurry of slashes that cut deep into the primal, all in the blink of an eye. He re-sheathed the blade, and drew it in a fluid motion, a huge beam of aether appearing from the attack that brought the _Doom of the Living._ The primal screamed in agony.

Tsukuyomi's form began to flicker, and the primal burst into light. From the light, Yotsuyu's form fell, hair still the same ethereal shade of white as the primal.

Elway staggered to his knees soon after, his energy being expended after the attack. He made an attempt to go to her fallen form, to make sure that she was not too gravely wounded.

"Yotsuyu. Yotsuyu!" Elway called, still walking forward slowly to her unconscious form.

Before he could make it to her body, a gunshot rang out from behind Elway. And struck the woman in front of him. She let out a small cry of pain, and Elway furiously turned around to look at the assailant.

"ASAHI!"

The Doman emissary simply shrugged at his fury and shot at Yotsuyu again. Blood flowed from her wounds in massive quantities, and the life began to fade from her eyes.

Elway drew his blade again facing Asahi with teeth grit, eyes narrowed.

"You really must learn how to finish the job." Asahi grinned wickedly at him.

"Have you not had enough?!" Elway roared. "You've got what you wanted from all of this, what have you to gain from this?"

"…It should have been me." Asashi's words echoed his shade. "I am the one who loves Lord Zenos above all else! Why was SHE chosen to rule over Doma instead of ME?! This failure, this _whore!_ "

"Envy…?" Elway's strength gathered. He stood and walked forward, glaring at Asahi. His fist clenched painfully. "You absolute _pissant._ "

"My, my such hostility!" Asahi smirked at his outburst. "I merely did my duty as an imperial officer. These eikons are blights, after all."

"Piss off!" Elway yelled, preparing for another fight. "You did this to her!"

"What will _you_ do?" Asahi's words were coated in venom. "Surrender to anger? Slay an anointed emissary to avenge a fallen foe?"

As much as Elway loathed to admit it, he was right. The surviving Garleans that accompanied Asahi could very well return to Garlemald and tell them that the Warrior of Light had slain one of their own for Doma during the peace talks. It would have been an easy decision if he were the only one at risk, but to involve Doma would mean Hien, Gosetsu and Yugiri would be harmed.

All the same, Elway couldn't control his blade from bisecting the gun in Asahi's hand. His blade sliced cleanly through the weapon, and he continued walking forward as Asahi began to back away.

"W-what?!" Asahi began to tremble in fear and anger. "Did you not hear me?! If you harm me, Doma will be burned to cinders…!"

"Shut your mouth." Elway prepared to kill the cowering Asahi, whose back was now to Yotsuyu. "You gods damned coward. If your precious Zenos is still alive as you claim, I'll kill him again. As many times as it takes."

"BE QUIET YOU SAV-"

Asahi's outburst was interrupted suddenly.

From behind, Yotsuyu lifted a hand, and her two blades that she used as Tsukuyomi came forth, stabbing straight through the man. He coughed blood for a moment in shock, and turned hatefully to look at Yotsuyu, who awoke with a small smile.

"Thank you, dear brother…" Yotsuyu breathed out painfully. "For this gift. Vengeance."

"These people. _Our_ people… They ignore the corruption that festers beneath the surface. Cast aside that which is dirty and broken. Speak not of things which would disrupt their dreary little lives."

Yotsuyu taunted the wounded man with a smirk.

"Just like you Asahi… Always pretending not to see." Yotsuyu weakened just a bit. "You were the first… the first I swore to kill."

Asahi struggled against the blades, but they deepened, cutting into him as he coughed blood onto her still form.

"Ah… such bliss. I had thought my hunger insatiable, but now…. Now, I am satisfied…"

Yotsuyu's hand dropped as she weakened even more.

"You should feel honored, dearest brother." She mocked. "I saved the last of my strength… just for you."

The blades disappeared, and Asahi fell to the ground in a bloody mess. He ignored the writhing, dying Asahi, and rushed to Yotsuyu's side. The light from Tsukuyomi gathered all at once, and disappeared from her body, restoring her hair to its natural color.

"What's the matter…?" She asked, looking at Elway's panicked and despondent face. "The witch of Doma will soon be dead."

"Don't you dare die yet." Elway kneeled in front of her, determined. "Gosetsu is waiting."

"The one he is waiting for is Tsuyu…" She whispered sullenly.

"Do you truly believe that?" Elway muttered. "Is that what you want?"

"I wonder…" A single tear fell from her eyes as she made her peace, but Elway readied something. "Did the fruit… taste as sweet… as he remembered?"

"Enough." Elway summoned forth a dozen flasks, containing all manner of medicines and potions. "Stay still. I said I'd save you, Tsuyu."

"Her happiness was not meant to be… _I_ am not…"

He tore off a piece of cloth from his clothing, and created a makeshift bandage from it. He pressed the bandage to her wounds, attempting to stop the bleeding. Putting a potion to her mouth and forcing her to drink, he spoke.

"Live. If not for yourself, then for Gosetsu." Elway reprimanded. "I won't forgive myself if I do not bring you back to him. Hell's bells, you are a poor liar. When you decided to fight as Tsukuyomi, you never had any intention of winning, did you? You wanted to die at someone else's hands to atone."

A small amount of her vitality returned, and she found herself more easily able to breathe. Elway forced another flask to her mouth, this one containing an elixir.

"I did not expect… the eikon-slayer to show such mercy… to a foe…" She jeered weakly.

"I didn't expect the Witch of Doma to give up so easily. Or to cry upon being showed kindness." He retorted easily. "You've still much to accomplish, that much is true. And perhaps to atone for. You won't do so by dying."

Yotsuyu struggled slightly, and her breathing became labored.

 _The bullets are interrupting her breath. I need to heal the internal injuries…_

"Just a second." Elway held a pure white soul crystal out.

His samurai robes changed to pure white robes, the garb of a white mage. In his hands was a bent staff, decorated with feathers, Aymur.

"Forgive my inexperience, but this will have to do. Y'shtola told me that healing does not suit me."

He casted a _Cure_ spell directly onto her chest, and the bullets that embedded themselves into her ribs slowly began to be pushed out by the healing spell. He casted another, and the bullets began to show themselves through her wounds. He used the tattered bandage to carefully pull out the bullets, as Yotsuyu let out a slight cry of pain.

"Sorry." Elway said offhandedly. "Bear with me, you're through the worst of it."

"Hrgh…!" Yotsuyu groaned. "By the kami, I hate you…!" She said, but there was no real spite in her voice.

"Hah, seems to me you've energy to spare if you can talk like that." Elway continued to hold the bandage to her side. A dizziness began to overtake him.

"Lord Zenos…" The weak voice of Asahi groaned, possibly hallucinating in his last moments. "He will come for you…"

Elway shook his head, but the Echo began to show him a vision. His eyesight blurred, and he was shown a sight of Asahi entering a room. He kneeled instantly, and he looked up to a familiar figure. Zenos.

Zenos told Asahi that he was to be his messenger to Doma, and to falsify peace talks. And then, summon a primal to show Garlemald to remind them that they were a threat.

And their pawn was Yotsuyu, and the rest of the Domans.

The vision faded, and Elway's senses returned. He shook off the dizziness and focused his attention on Yotsuyu once more. The makeshift bandage was now soaked through with blood, but her wounds were not worsening.

"Are you well?" He asked, but her vision was focused on something, or rather someone in the distance.

Her eyes were locked with Gosetsu. Along with him, Hien, Yugiri, Alphinaud and Alisaie were looking at the two from the bottom of the stairs.

"Tsuyu!" Gosetsu bellowed from their position. He ran up the stairs, despite his weak constitution and went to Yotsuyu's side.

"We've told him of the situation." Yugiri explained to Elway. "Although, it seems you've already finished."

"We have." Elway nodded. "This was all a plot, by Asahi's _beloved_ master. We've been played by Zenos. The Echo told me through the bastard."

Elway gestured to Asahi, who had stopped breathing some time ago. He scoffed at his corpse, feeling no sympathy for the pathetic death he well deserved.

"What? But he took his own life after the battle for Ala Mhigo." Hien questioned. "We saw it with our own eyes."

"I know. I sense Ascian interference." Elway muttered. "Enough of that for now. Tsuyu… or do you prefer Yotsuyu?"

The woman looked conflicted for a moment, but faced Elway with honesty in her eyes.

"Tsuyu is alright." She replied. "I…"

"I am glad that you are safe." Gosetsu cut in, head bowed. "When I heard what had happened, I…"

"But I betrayed your trust." She whispered regretfully. "How could you possibly still be concerned for me?"

"Doma bears just as much as sin as you." Gosetsu admitted. "And for whatever short time it was, you were family. I know that you are of a different mind now, but to see you safe once more is all I could ask."

Yotsuyu struggled for her words, but Elway only placed his free hand on her shoulder. She flinched at the sudden contact.

"I can assure you, to return to bring Tsuyu is what she desires." Elway spoke for her. "All she's done is so she can atone."

"You became a primal and threatened all of us, to atone?" Yugiri asked with doubt. "Forgive me for being apprehensive, but how can _we_ trust her?"

"I understand your feelings, Yugiri." Elway soothed. "But she knew exactly what would happen if we fought. She _wanted_ to be slain. Earlier, she even tried to take her own life after regaining her memories…"

"Tsuyu, we cannot atone with our lives." Gosetsu spoke to her. "We must atone with our actions. Your sins… _our_ sins are not cleansed so easily. You must live."

Yotsuyu's eyes widened at the similarity between his words and his shade's as she closed her eyes.

"Forgive me..."

She reached her hand out to Gosetsu, who took it firmly.

"I was saved by you. By all rights, you should despise me…" Yotsuyu admitted to the man reluctantly. "Yet… will you allow me to be Tsuyu still? Even now?"

"Just do not bear your burdens alone." Gosetsu smiled, and softly patted Tsuyu's head. "That is what family is for, no?"

The woman once known as Yostuyu tried in vain to hide the overjoyed expression on her face. As if a dam broke, tears began to stream down her face. Gosetsu tried to stop a small tear to no avail, and softly hugged Tsuyu.

"It's over now." Elway breathed out in relief. "Thank goodness."

 _I could save them…_

Hien stepped forward and kneeled in front of Tsuyu.

"I bear some of the burden for all of this happening as well." He said seriously. "But let's put the title of viceroy for you aside, hm? After all, Tsuyu has no need of it. Doma will make sure you and Gosetsu have all you require."

"Doma…" She mumbled as a hesitant response.

"I vow that we shall become a better nation." Hien said to ease her doubts. "So that no child has to experience a life of misery. That no person is simply a slave."

Tsuyu still made a troubled face, but as Elway and Gosetsu nodded to her, she relented, shaking her head.

"…If you think you are capable, little lordling." She goaded lightly. "After all, I am simply a common woman. Do as you will."

"Hah, understood." Hien gave her a toothy grin. "Watch us closely. Even if you cannot trust us yet, we will show you a new Doma."

Tsuyu only 'hmph'd' at him in response, but she was at least not antagonistic. Elway coughed a bit to get the attention of the others in the room.

"Ah, I don't mean to be a nuisance, but we really should treat her in a better place." Elway pointed out, as she was still wounded even after the emergency treatment given to her by Elway. "And there's also the issue of a certain emissary…"

The noise of footsteps coming up the stair caused the group to look at the new arrival. The Garlean officer that arrived with Asahi appeared before them, not bearing any weapons it seemed.

"You are… Maxima, if I remember correctly." Hien stated crossly. "I assumed you had fled."

"I entertain such thoughts even now." Maxima admitted. "But the negotiations have yet to reach a conclusion."

"Seems we've got quite a bit to discuss." Elway sighed. "Yugiri, Gosetsu, can you take her to the Enclave and treat her?"

"Your concern is unneeded…" Tsuyu muttered, not used to receiving such care. Before she could send a glare at Elway, he shushed her with a finger between them.

"Quiet, you." Elway gave her a cheeky smile. "You've worried us enough for one day."

Tsuyu gave him a baffled look, confused at his kindness despite him fighting for their lives just moments earlier.

"Ugh… As you wish." Tsuyu said finally. Gosetsu picked her up, carrying her gently. Yugiri stood alongside him, watching Tsuyu carefully, but she was less apprehensive. The three descended down the set of stairs as Elway waved them off.

"Now then, Maxima, care to explain?" Elway asked, crossing his arms.

 **The Doman Enclave – Elway**

The Doman prisoners, as promised, were finally released. They ran to their families eagerly, and the resulting bustling of reunion filled the air. Elway, Hien, Yugiri and Alisaie watched the scene with smiles, glad that Maxima had followed through with his promise.

Yet the departure of Alphinaud weighed heavily on Elway's and Alisaie's minds still. Of course, he had encouraged Alphinaud to do the best of his ability, but the worry still ate at him and the other twin. She frustratedly called Alphinaud a fool, but that was to mask her anxiety. Elway could only try to encourage her that Alphinaud would be alright, despite his own apprehension about letting Alphinaud go to Garlemald alone.

"How often have I dreamed of this moment… Thank you for helping it come to pass." Hien turned to Elway gratefully.

"Ah, save it." Elway shook his head with a chuckle. "I've hardly worked as hard as you and Yugiri."

The people of Doma who stood before them became silent and faced the group. In unison, they bowed reverently to their leaders, and their saviors. Hien and Yugiri's smiles grew wider, feeling pride for their country. In turn, they bowed to the people of Doma joyfully.

The crowd began to disperse as the former prisoners followed their families home. A certain former member of the Confederacy nodded to Elway with a grin and Elway waved him off as he rejoined his father.

Two people began to walk towards their group, both of their faces hidden by the large brim of their bamboo hats. Elway smiled in relief at the sight of them, and rushed to greet them.

"Gosetsu, Tsuyu!" He called warmly. Their eyes met his as they stopped, Gosetsu bowing slightly to Elway. "Shouldn't you both be resting still?"

"No, my friend!" Gosetsu replied energetically. "As you can see, Yugiri's care for the both of us was excellent."

Elway grinned smugly at Yugiri. Even to one of her most hated foes, she would still provide her the best care. Yugiri rolled her eyes at his smile, but a smile crept upon her face unconsciously.

"Regardless, up so soon? It's been only a short while since your injuries have healed." Elway asked Tsuyu directly, who looked off to the side.

"Gosetsu wished to see the release of the prisoners with his own eyes." She stated simply. "But I couldn't trust his _fragile_ constitution…"

It was Tsuyu's turn to be on the receiving end of Elway's smug grin, but she waved it off with a grimace.

"My lord, truthfully there is something we must discuss." Gosetsu told Hien with a serious tone.

"Of course, what is it?" Hien asked understandingly.

Gosetsu looked conflicted, hesitating ever so slightly, but Tsuyu nudged him lightly.

"…An old man who cannot raise his blade has no place in the service of a young lord." He said sadly. "Thus, I have decided to devote my remaining days to a life of peace, with what family I may have left."

Tsuyu's gaze was aimed at the floor, feeling responsible for his departure from Hien's service. Truly, though, she was still happy that he would consider her family, and important enough to spend his remaining life upon.

"I see." Hien said, a small smile directed at the two.

"Ah… But where will you go?" Elway asked hesitantly. "Are you truly alright with staying in Doma?"

"We will find a way, even if we must leave Doma." Gosetsu nodded at Elway, who seemed to be thinking of something. "Perhaps we will travel the land, as you do Elway."

"But Gosetsu, your condition may not be suited to such activity…" Yugiri noted worriedly.

"Yes, perhaps you should stay in the Enclave after all." Alisaie followed up while crossing her arms. "Tsuyu may be able to adapt to it with some time."

"Ah, seven hells." Elway shrugged finally with a deep breath. "If not Doma, then why not Eorzea? No one will know of you there."

Gosetsu and Tsuyu looked in surprise at Elway, who smirked at them.

"To an unfamiliar land…" Gosetsu considered it, stroking his beard with his hand. "Though, I have been there once!"

"But how?" Tsuyu asked, eyes slightly hopeful but hesitant. "An old man and a woman with no knowledge of the land…"

"Would you be opposed to using a small residence of mine?" Elway questioned simply. He held out a small key. "It is a house that I hardly use, but it should have all you require for some time. It is in Mist, a housing district in Limsa Lominsa."

"We couldn't possibly!" Tsuyu replied in shock.

"I scarcely use the house; I spend so much time adventuring. I only bought it at the suggestion of a friend." Elway reassured them. "So again, if you would like, it is yours. Eorzea will not cause you to remember your trauma so gravely. You'll be able to start over."

"Tsuyu, this may be our best course of action." Gosetsu put his hand on her shoulder. "You've been assailed with nightmares from your time in Doma. It worries me!"

"You know, I believe this will be beneficial as well." Hien cut in, looking at Tsuyu. "And if you so desire, you may return to Doma if you please. But if your home causes you pain, perhaps some time away is what you require."

"Not just trying to get me out of your hair, are you?" Tsuyu retorted sarcastically. She played with a few loose locks of her now-poorly maintained hair. "If it's permissible by him, then I see no reason to refuse…"

"Great!" Elway cheered, and roughly pushed the key into her hands. "Me and Alisaie will be returning to Eorzea soon. Simply ask the ferryman where my residence is, it should be overlooking the sea. Perhaps I'll stop by every now and then."

"You… are gravely over-trusting." Tsuyu reprimanded him, but he shook his head.

"Consider it a favor to be paid forward." Elway shrugged lazily. "I'd be too worried if I left you two to your own."

"Thank you for your generosity, Elway." Gosetsu clapped a hand onto Elway's back gratefully. Elway smiled in response.

"I still think you are a fool," Tsuyu sighed, but she ended up bowing to Elway. "But thank you. Even though I may not be deserving, you saved me."

"Nonsense." Elway huffed. "It isn't about who is 'deserving.' I simply did as I pleased. And before you two leave,"

Elway summoned forth an object from his belongings, and a weapon appeared in his hands.

A simple pistol, used by Machinists. It was similar to the one she had used before, as the viceroy. He held out the weapon to Tsuyu carefully, motioning for her to take it.

"Elway, that's…" Yugiri said, fists clenching slightly at the sight of the weapon.

"I know. It is a simple weapon, but I had this prepared just in case." Elway nodded, his gaze still serious. "Tsuyu, take this. Please, protect Gosetsu, as he protected you. I only hope that there will never be a situation where you must use this, but the world is not so kind. So if it comes to it, protect yourselves with this."

Tsuyu held the gun carefully. She slowly took it from Elway, as if she was afraid of the weapon. Gosetsu patted her back softly, and she nodded back at Elway.

"Understood. I shall only use it if I must."

"Glad to hear it." Elway said, stepping back.

"Will you be leaving immediately?" Hien asked Gosetsu.

"Yes, my lord." Gosetsu replied with some sadness in his voice.

"Ah, scarcely have we said our goodbyes to Alphinaud, and you leave us too. Ah, but 'tis well that my companions find their own way forward. I must endeavor to do the same." Hien crossed his arms.

"I know that you will build a greater Doma, even without me my lord. Pray forgive me this last act of selfishness."

"You have earned it, a thousand times over!" Hien grinned at his old friend. "I shall make Doma a place where none shall live in fear."

"I expect nothing less. Farewell, my friends." Gosetsu and Tsuyu bowed one final time to the others, before turning to leave Doma behind. They walked in silence, the two solemn, but hopeful.

The Witch of Doma was no more. As well as the loyal samurai, Gosetsu. Now, they were simply a family on their way to a new life.

 **Side Story 8 – Moon's Bloom**

 **A/N:** And that's it! I really wanted to write this to create a scenario where Tsuyu could be saved, maybe not for her own sake but definitely for Gosetsu. Really, he's been through so much and he deserved just a little bit of happiness for the remainder of his life. Yotsuyu's whole character arc really pulled at my heartstrings so I couldn't ignore the chance to write while the emotions were fresh. Tsukuyomi was also a crazy fun fight (both normal and extreme), so that helps. With this, Gosetsu and Tsuyu are probably out of the story for the most part, maybe they will make some small appearances in the future but nothing too major. They're going to have a peaceful life for now! (Lyse would probably flip if she knew, though).

Next up will most likely be the start of the third arc, I'll take awhile to write it because real life is going to be a bit busy but I'll do my best.

As always, please leave a review and I really hope you enjoyed the story!


	31. Chapter 23

**A/N:** Hey guys, back with another late update. Sorry that I couldn't get this out sooner, started a new job and its been keeping me busy. Hopefully you enjoy the start of the third arc!

This chapter will focus mainly on the state of Remnant after volume 5, as there's no source material to go from as of yet. It'll be a bit brief, as it will mostly set the stage for the main conflicts of the third arc.

 **To Diavolo:** Thank you for your kind review! It was my pleasure to write, and I'm happy that you enjoyed it. Hopefully you enjoy this chapter!

 **To Chris Ganale:** Thanks for finally reviewing! That was really the main idea for this story, to really give the WoL a voice and character beyond the limitations of the game. And yeah, Yotsuyu may have been an awful person for the majority of her life but she was only made into that by the fault of everyone around her. In the end, I really wished that we could've saved her. I hope you continue to review, looking forward to hearing from you again.

Onto the chapter!

 **Chapter 23**

 **Mistral – Weiss**

 _Returning to Atlas…_

Weiss shook her head of the thoughts that plagued her, the myriad sins of her father reappearing in her mind. The situation was resolved for now, but with an inexperienced (albeit temporary) leader of the company, the future was unclear. Even with the trust between them and Ozpin shaky, going to Atlas seemed the best option.

Also, the rest of her team was reunited. There was still an obvious tension between Yang and Blake, but they were at least cordial with each other.

The fight for Haven was difficult, but it at least brought them together once more. Team RWBY, one of Beacon's finest teams. As well as Team JNPR, or… most of them, anyways. And Sun, who followed Blake to bring the Faunus of Menagerie to fight against the White Fang.

But what they saw… Salem, after their fight. Or what was an image conjured from Emeralds semblance. Qrow and Ozpin (who now inhabited the body of a child, Oscar) explained to them the greater enemy that lay beyond Cinder and her allies, but the scope of Salem's strength seemed nigh impossible to win against.

For people who were mere academy students not even a year ago, the battle ahead was terrifying. But they were ready. They couldn't simply stand back and avert their eyes as the world was threatened. The master of the Grimm was pulling their strings behind the scenes for so long, and it was time someone stopped her. Every day they trained more, under the watchful eye of Ozpin, or Oscar. Jaune had even developed his Semblance, on the night of the battle. He had saved her with his new Semblance, his aura amplifying hers and allowing her to heal from a fatal wound, no longer the overconfident would-be suitor that he tried to be during their time at Beacon. Instead, it seemed he smiled genuinely so much more, even through the stress of their current plight. When questioned about it, all he would say is that "a smile better suits a hero."

Weiss rolled her eyes with a smile, thinking about the statement. He most likely had been influenced by his time with Elway. Then again, so had she. Logically, she should have been hesitant about facing Salem. But Elway wouldn't falter. He would stay determined, and face the threat head-on. It didn't matter if his life was on the line. All that mattered was that he would save people. His own wellbeing was secondary…

Either way, he wasn't here to save the day for them. It was their world, and they had to fight for themselves.

Weiss sighed heavily, looking out of the window of her temporary room.

 **Mistral – Blake**

A Faunus girl sat alone in the living room of the inn they currently resided in.

This was too much to take in at once.

All she was trying to do was show that the Faunus truly wanted peace and were opposed to the violent methods of the White Fang.

Yet now that she was back with her team, suddenly Ozpin was alive (and in the body of a child), Cinder was dead, the Maidens were more than myth and this Salem was supposedly the one behind the Grimm, and was seeking ancient relics?

Just trying to go over everything in her head was giving her a pounding headache.

And there was still Adam roaming about. He was defeated, and likely without a good portion of the White Fang, but still dangerous. While they captured some of the former White Fang members, they couldn't apprehend all of them. It was likely that they would side with Adam still, if he were to take command once more.

Could she really just go with her team to Atlas despite the White Fang still being an issue?

Could she leave the people of Menagerie without being sure of their safety?

Of course, the fight to take back the relics was on a bigger scale. But Menagerie and its people were her home.

"Ugh…!" Blake held her head in between her hands, frustrated with her own indecision.

"Doin' alright there?" A concerned voice interrupted her brooding. "What's the matter?"

Sun poked his head out from his room. He walked out into full view, and crouched slightly to check on Blake's condition.

"I'm fine. Sorry."

"C'mon, you know you can't fool me like that." Sun grinned lightly. "Let it out if you need to, I'm listening."

Blake sighed, but relented.

"Alright then. What do you think about… all this?" She asked dejectedly.

"I think you and Yang need to make up, first of all."

"You… you know that's not what I-!"

Sun held up a finger with a serious look in his eyes, a silent request for her to listen.

"Then, we should really catch up with the others. Just sit down and talk to each other, you know? Ruby's acting all grown up now!"

Blake sat back on the couch she was on, carefully watching Sun as he went on.

"And then, you should introduce Ilia to the others, I bet she'd fit right in. And include her in the training sessions we've been having! And how about bringing your parents around to meet the others?"

"Hah, seriously?" Blake huffed with a smirk. "You're so simple…"

"You know it." Sun smirked back. "Let's just take things one step at a time. We can worry about this Salem business after we worry about ourselves for a bit, okay?"

"One step at a time, huh…?"

 **Haven Academy – Ruby**

"Kiddo, you need to come with me."

Qrow had brought Ruby, Yang, Jaune and Oscar to the site of their battle only a short time before. Apparently having received reports of… _something_ lurking inside the currently abandoned academy, It was up to the small makeshift scouting team of the 5 to investigate. Though, Qrow seemed to know more about the situation than the others. He was uncharacteristically serious, and insistent that Oscar and Ruby come along. Jaune and Yang refused to let Ruby go by herself, and Qrow eventually caved, letting them come along.

The group made their way to an elevator designed to go to the lower levels of the academy, towards the basement. The group entered the elevator, one by one, a heavy mood filling the air.

"So, uh… Uncle Qrow. What's up?" Ruby asked, trying to break the tension.

"You'll see." Qrow said, not even making eye contact with her. "Just stay on your toes."

" _Some_ one's hungover…" Yang shrugged lightly at Ruby. "Been drinking enough water, Uncle Qrow?"

"Can it, kid." Qrow muttered at her, still on edge. Jaune stayed silent, nervously adjusting his armor.

"C'mon guys, we're at the basement level now." Oscar announced as the elevator began to screech to a halt. "Now, what'd you bring us here for Qrow?"

"Reports from some of the academy staff who were searching the academy for any traces of Salem's minions." Qrow answered. "They can sense _something_ down here, but they know well enough that what's lurking down here is dangerous. That's why we're here."

"But you came here once already, didn't you?" Ruby spoke, hand already on Crescent Rose. "What's the matter then?"

"This presence that we're feeling right now?" Qrow drew Harbinger in its sword form, eyes narrowed. "Take a wild guess."

"The presence of a Maiden…" Oscar's eyes glowed a bright yellow, and his demeanor changed to a more regal and wiser one. Ozpin's influence exerted itself on the boy, and he drew his cane.

"That means…!" Ruby gasped, tensing up almost instantly. There were few people she could say she hated. Cinder Fall was one of those people. Someone who had caused so much destruction and death, and reveled in it. Needless to say, if she was truly still alive…

Ruby wouldn't let her hurt anyone anymore.

The group carefully scouted the area, looking for any traces of life at all. It seemed abandoned, yet the overwhelming presence only grew stronger as the group continued to search.

Finally, Jaune saw an opening in the floor. Another entrance, even deeper? Either way, he called them over.

"Ruby, everyone!" Jaune waved them over. "Look here!"

The group looked over the unlatched entrance, and everyone readied themselves.

They opened the latch further, and looked into the opening carefully. Blood stained the floor, and claw marks were etched onto the surface from what they could see. Each member of the group dropped down one by one, cautious of the room below. The room was revealed to be the entrance to a sort of sewer system, pipes lining the area. Yang grimaced, and waved a hand in front of her face.

Regardless, they followed the bloodstains to a control room. Several consoles and generators lined the room, but the bloodstains led only to the front of the room.

And there, they found Cinder.

Unconscious, bloodied, clothes half burned, yet also wet at the same time. Her mask was shattered, revealing her gruesomely scarred eye. She had numerous wounds on her body, and she was only barely clinging to life.

And her left arm was gone, the stump of her arm seeming to be in the process of healing.

"It's her…" Ruby muttered, voice quiet.

"So she survived." Jaune was distant now, and his grip on Crocea Mors tightened.

"Reason I brought you guys here is so that you can figure out what to do with her." Qrow faced the teenagers, and Ozpin. "She can be a valuable source of information… or you can settle the score. Your choice."

"Qrow, it's obvious what we should do." Ozpin cut in, stepping forward. "We should gather information from her while we ca-"

"Oz, quiet." Qrow talked back to Ozpin, a small glare in his eyes. "You've done a lot for them, but you've also put them through just as much. They deserve this, at least."

"…I'll do it." Jaune nodded at Qrow, speaking up. His voice was filled with venom.

"Jaune?!" Yang drew back at his forwardness. "You're serious? I know how you feel, but…"

"It's okay, Yang." Ruby comforted her sister. "If we weren't prepared to do this, how could we face Salem?"

"Still, we've never… taken a life before." Yang muttered, though her protest was weak.

"If it's _hers_ , then I don't care." Jaune walked forward towards the still-breathing body of Cinder Fall. He stopped in front of her body, rage seeping from his body. His face contorted to an expression of disgust.

Crocea Mors was raised high.

"This is for Pyrrha… Goodbye."

The ancient sword was swung, aiming directly for Cinder's neck. Jaune closed his eyes, preparing himself for what was surely to be a sickening sight.

Until the sound of a sword severing flesh never came.

Until the sound of steel meeting steel filled the room.

Until that sound caused him to open his eyes.

In front of him, blocking Crocea Mors from killing his most hated foe, was an axe.

"That axe…!" Ruby cried out, confused.

"What?!" Yang readied Ember Celica and her mechanical arm.

Out of the darkness of the supposedly empty control room holding a familiar axe, a figure stood defensively in front of Cinder's body.

"You're…!" Jaune choked out. His grip on Crocea Mors weakened, all but dropping the weapon completely.

"Come now, Jaune. What's with the serious visage?" The figure greeted good-naturedly. "Remember what I said? A smile better suits a hero."

"Elway?!" Ruby shouted, about to run forward to the warrior. "What are you doing here?"

"Let's call it a quest. It's good to meet you lot once more!" Elway grinned. "Now, how about you step away from my charge?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Qrow asked, his voice turning menacing.

"I was asked to find her, by a certain someone." Elway gestured to Cinder. "And soon after I succeeded, I heard a group of people coming from above. What luck, that it was you all!"

"Don't you know what she's _done?_ " Jaune's grip tightened once more on his weapon. "It's time she answered for her crimes! Why'd you stop me…?!"

"It is not yet time to bloody your hands." Elway shook his head. "I know _exactly_ what she has wrought, do not misunderstand. However, I did make a vow. And there is still much that you, too do not know."

"You're asking us to just ignore it as you save _her_?" Yang yelled, eyes flashing red. "Who the hell are you anyways?!"

"Elway, we can't just let her go. Even if we don't… put an end to her, we can't just let you leave here with her." Ruby readied Crescent Rose. "Please stand back!"

"I can't do that, Ruby."

"Then we'll go THROUGH you!" Yang burst forward, fists ablaze. Her eyes flashed red, meeting Elway's own. He responded with a cocky grin. Jaune shakily raised Crocea Mors against Elway, not ready to fight him. Ruby transformed Crescent Rose into its sniper form, and Qrow ran forward behind Yang. Ozpin only stood back, staring in shock at Elway.

"Seems that we'll be opponents for now." Elway said, Bravura slung over his shoulder. "Very well! Show me how much you've grown!"

 **Chapter 23 – A savior, no matter what**

 **A/N:** And there's the chapter! Sorry it took so long, and hope it met your expectations. This is just the start, but I have quite a bit planned for the arc. There's going to be a few major conflicts, and this is only one of them! Next chapter will have Elway's entrance into Remnant, as well as his reasons for doing this (and the person who gave him the 'quest').

As always, please leave a review to let me know how you feel, and I'll see you next time!


	32. Chapter 24

**A/N:** Hey everyone, back with the next chapter. Sorry about the delay, started next semester of university as well as working at the same time so it's been a bit busy. Really looking forward to patch 4.4, raid tier looks sick. Anyways, again this will be the chapter on Elway's re-entry into Remnant, it'll be a bit longer than the last. Also, spoiler warning for the Samurai questline ahead! It'll have a semi-significant part to play here.

To **tryal-leaf:** At least he's being kinda cordial about it! Glad to be back on track for the story as well. To answer your question, it isn't canon, but you'll see through this chapter. Thanks for the review!

To **Chris Ganale:** Haha, too bad the kids don't have the Echo for unlimited resets. Queue the Stormblood boss theme! (which I was listening to while writing the final fight scene of the chapter, only recently found out it was called Triumph) Hope you enjoy, and thanks for reviewing!

To **Midgardsormr Jr** and **Guest:** Hey, thanks for the reviews. Your ideas are interesting, but I'm afraid I'm not at all acquainted with the comic Gold Diggers, so I'm not exactly qualified to take you up on that challenge. It also seems like a huge project to take up, and I don't have a ton of time to write, even for this story. Wish you two luck, though.

To **Vesuvius:** Apologies for the wait! I know I get carried away with the side stories, but I felt that the Stormblood stuff was a nice chance for more character building and stuff. Glad to have you reading, and thanks for the review!

Onto the chapter!

 **Chapter 24**

 **Mist – Elway**

"I'M HOME DEAR!"

The door to a previously quiet home burst open. A booming voice echoed into the small residence.

Two sets of silverware dropped, an instant response shock at the sudden surprise. The two figures instinctively reached for their weapons, but annoyance was instantly written on the woman's face as she saw who the entrant was.

"Elway, you…!" Tsuyu fumed. "You lunatic! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Haha! Did I frighten you two?" Elway laughed heartily with a bright smile. He walked over to the table where both Gosestsu and Tsuyu sat, taking one of the chairs to sit down for himself. He noted the fragrant aroma of the dish they had in front of them. "Ah, is that the curry from the faire in Costa del Sol? Did you have fun?"

Gosetsu recovered from his shock quickly, laughing alongside Elway.

"How nice of you to visit! Yes, we were having a meal after visiting the faire. Tsuyu here attracted quite a lot of attention from the adventurers, however." Gosetsu nudged her as she groaned. "Many men invited her for a swim… By the kami, some of the women as well!"

Elway grinned smugly as Tsuyu made an exaggerated grimace at Gosetsu's indirect praise, trying to hide her slight embarrassment.

"Can't say I blame them…" Elway snickered, mischief in his eyes. Tsuyu took that statement at face value for just a moment as her eyes widened at the adventurer, about to reprimand him in embarrassment. "After all, on the surface they have no idea how vicious you can b- OUCH!"

Elway's teasing was interrupted by Tsuyu as she threw a spoon at his forehead, stunning him out of his smug demeanor.

"I think _you'd_ do well to remember that as well." Tsuyu huffed, grinning at him with the same degree of mischief he had before. "Now then, are you just visiting?"

"Yes, ma'am…" Elway muttered, rubbing his head lightly. "How have you two been, since arriving? It's only been a short while, but I hope you've been well."

"You needn't worry about us." Gosetsu said, pouring him a glass of wine also brought from the faire. "Eorzea has been kind to us. With your assistance, we have been afforded a new start."

"I'm so glad to hear of that." Elway gave them a bright smile. A look of pure joy was on his face for only an instant, causing Gosetsu, and even Tsuyu to smile unconsciously.

"So simple…" Tsuyu whispered, shaking her head.

"Take a moment of respite, would you?" Gosetsu roughly slapped Elway's back. "Have you not been busy?"

"Ah, that's true." Elway admitted. "With the reconstruction of the Enclave still progressing, as well as some… _loose ends_ , with Garlemald…"

"The boy?" Tsuyu cut in, looking hesitant.

"You two shouldn't concern yourselves over it." Elway smiled at them reassuringly. "Let's put that aside. Truth be told, there was another reason I came here. There'll be a visitor sometime who is coming to Limsa Lominsa."

"Hmm, Yugiri?" Gosetsu guessed.

"Hah, afraid not this time." Elway replied. "She is still working on the reconstruction with Hien and Kozakura. As much as I would like to bother her, she's needed elsewhere. A friend has recently traveled to Kugane, and is soon to return to Eorzea. Apparently it's something he needs to discuss immediately."

"Waiting here for him?" Tsuyu asked. "Color me surprised that you aren't fighting some monster to pass the time for some odd request of yours."

"I suppose I was a bit tired. I'll only be a moment to rest, and I'll be on my way to meet the visitor."

"Hmph, do as you please. It is your estate, after all." Tsuyu stood up quickly and went off into one of the other rooms.

"Tsuyu, come now! Let us not be rude to Elway!" Gosetsu called after her, about to go to reprimand her.

"That's alright Gosetsu. I'd prefer a quiet moment to sleep a bit anyways." Elway waved her off, and took a small sip of the wine offered to him by Gosetsu. He brought the glass over to the couch by a smaller table and took a seat on the couch, leaning his head back. His eyes began to close slowly, and his chest began to rise and fall in a slow rhthym.

"Mhm." Gosetsu nodded with a grunt. "Rest well, Elway."

Gosetsu began to clean up the dining table of their meal, softly moving so as not to disturb him. He took a long swig of the wine happily, but noted the soft rustling in Tsuyu's room where she had gone not long ago. Her quiet mumbles of agitation were evident, and Gosetsu quietly poked his head to peek into her room. She was rummaging through her belongings, of which she didn't have many. Eventually she found what she was looking for, a small tea set, with a large amount of tea leaves.

Gosetsu backed away from the room and tried to make it seem as if he was cleaning the dining area still. Tsuyu discreetly brought the set to the stove and began preparing the tea, ignoring the curious stares of Gosetsu. She made sure Elway was still asleep, and moved quickly.

In just a few moments, Tsuyu was busily making sure the tea was going properly, fully focused on her task. Gosetsu chuckled quietly at her attempt at hospitality. Especially since Elway was actually awake at the moment, sharing a soundless chuckle with Gosetsu.

 _You've got quite the endearing side to you, Tsuyu._ Elway thought with a grin.

Not wanting to tease her again for the sake of her pride, Elway feigned sleep as the gentle aroma of freshly prepared tea began to fill the room. Hearing the small click of a pot being set on the table before him and the immediate set of quick footsteps leading out of the room, he opened his eyes to a pot full of steaming tea. Inhaling again comfortably, he poured a cup.

 **Limsa Lominsa Lower Decks – Elway**

Yawning loudly, Elway awaited the visitor near the Aetheryte of Limsa Lominsa. Whistling in the plaza while also waving at fellow adventurers, his thoughts drifted to the world of Remnant.

 _It has been some time since my journeys in Remnant. I can only hope that they are well._

 _After all, the Ascian, Mitron is still alive. Fray drove him off, but physically killing an Ascian will not do enough to stop them._

 _And it's likely that he wasn't acting alone. If he was, he would have followed me to Hydaelyn._

 _If I go back, I must be prepared to deal with him. And whoever else may be conspiring with him._

The arrival of a Dunesfolk Lalafell male caused Elway to put his thoughts aside for now.

"Momozigo!" Elway greeted the man with a smile, but the Lalafell hurried over breathing heavily.

"E-Elway!"

"Careful there, what's the matter?" Elway kneeled, making eye contact with his friend.

Momozigo had been with him all the way through his journeys with the man who gifted him the soul crystal of a Samurai. An elderly man, a kind but strict teacher by the name of Musosai. At least, as they had known them. To others, he may have been Kogarashi.

To train as a Samurai, Musosai brought them along to punish those he deemed evil or corrupt. Elway instantly felt an affinity with the old man, as they quickly got along. Even if Elway did not always agree with him, they understood each other. Only when they found out the truth about his identity, that he was the very man that he was training Elway to fight with, Kogarashi, did all of their time together end.

In the end, Elway was the one to bring him his end. While he was already on death's door, their duel spelled the end of the old master. Elway put his soul to rest, and like Musosai did for Momozigo, excised his sins.

Momozigo eventually buried Musosai in Vesper Bay, alongside his sword. As well as his soul crystal.

Elway did keep his promise by putting an end to Kogarashi, but also he led the battle against Musosai's traitorous pupil, Ugetsu. With Ugetsu's death could Elway grant some measure of restoration to Musosai's honor.

Momozigo finally regained a degree of calmness, and looked despondently at Elway.

"It's terrible…" The Lalafell muttered. "I traveled to Kugane to let Makoto know as well as the Sekiseigumi, but Musosai's grave… This man, in a black hood, and red mask…"

"An Ascian…" Elway spoke, his tone turning cold. Momozigo was only more confused by Elway's statement.

"When I went to visit, he appeared… he had Musosai's soul crystal in hand. He spoke in a tongue that I couldn't comprehend… What does he want with Musosai's soul crystal?!"

Elway's vision blurred, the Echo beginning to activate.

It was a short vision, but it told Elway all he needed to know. The Ascian appeared before Momozigo as he paid his respects to the makeshift grave. The robed magus casted a spell, throwing the Lalafell backwards. In an instant, the Samurai soul crystal was in the hands of the Ascian, as he spoke condescendingly to Momozigo. The Lalafell could not understand him without the Echo, but Elway could.

" _Tell this to your precious Warrior of Light. Mitron awaits him in the land of Remnant."_

The vision faded, and Elway found himself clenching his fist painfully.

"It is me that he is after. The crystal is merely bait." Elway gripped his own Samurai soul crystal. His eyes hardened, his determination steeled. "Consider this hunt on, then. Such evil cannot be suffered."

Echoing the old master's words, he set out to prepare for another adventure.

Reassuring Momozigo that he would set this right, he contacted the Scions through his linkpearl, telling them that he would be away for a while.

He activated a separate linkpearl that was connected to another, far across the ocean to the east. Due to the differences in time of the two distant continents, he wasn't even sure if she would be awake or able to receive his message. All the same, he spoke softly into the linkpearl, promising his return.

At the end of his message, he said a single sentence to her that Momozigo couldn't hear, and activated a teleport spell swiftly as he waved farewell to the Lalafell.

"Thank you, Momozigo. I vow that the Ascian will pay."

 **? – Elway**

The journey through the portal for Elway was swift as he wasted no time returning to Remnant. Only preparing what he could in a short amount of time, he went straight to the portal in the Dravanian Hinterlands.

Hoping that Mitron had not already harmed the people of Remnant, he hurried through as quickly as he could. The portal once more distorted the boundaries of their worlds, and he found himself in a forest.

"Another different location, I suppose…"

Noting the environment, it did feel oddly familiar. While it was entirely possible that he was in new territory, it was also possible that, once again…

He was in Anima, near Mistral, the city that they had spoken of during his first journey in Remnant. Of course, it may have been too soon to make assumptions. For now, it was time to gather as much information as he could.

He carefully observed his surroundings for a minute, taking in all the irregularities with the environment that he could perceive with just his eyesight.

Several patches of disturbed grass in succession, the direction of the frayed grass showing evident footsteps leading away. The lack of wildlife and Grimm in the area could have hinted at the footsteps being recent. Judging by the large number of footprints, it was a group of people. Elway kneeled to examine the prints more closely.

One of the sets of footprints dug slightly deeper than the others. Perhaps they were wearing armored boots, but the slight drag of the footprints along with the added depth from the extra weight on their feet implied that they were either limping or struggling to walk.

"Nothing for it then." Elway said to himself. He looked to the sky, the broken moon providing a somewhat adequate light. Beginning to follow the trail, he walked in silence.

As he followed the trail, he noticed signs of constant fighting on the trail. Possibly the travelers fighting off Grimm, but why were there so many encounters with the Grimm?

Perhaps the one with heavy footfalls was carrying an injured person, causing an influx of negative emotion. Perhaps they were running from something. Mitron?

 _I must hurry. They may not have much time._

Elway broke into a run, swiftly after the trail. Eventually, the signs of fighting on the trail grew more ragged, and soon blood began to appear next to the footprints. Their aura had been exhausted. He must have been close, he thought. However, he was afraid that at the end of the trail, there may be a group of victims... He could only hope.

Eventually, the trail led to a small, slightly hidden area of the forest.

Wasting no time, he sprinted into the clearing, eyes instantly searching for the source of the footsteps.

The instant he burst into the clearing, a figure rushed Elway from behind, a violent scream filling the quiet forest. Elway responded naturally, bringing Bravura up the block the figure's attack. The man, unknown to Elway used his foot to attack, but was flipped off balance as Elway adjusted Bravura, swinging it to the side.

Elway noted the weight of the attack and observed that the man either was wearing augmented boots designed as weapons, or had his legs replaced with steel. Either way, a unique opponent.

"That's quite the greeting." Elway muttered. He quickly scanned the area alongside his assailant. A girl with brown skin and hair a light green, currently unconscious. A massive man, breathing ferociously, his beard and features bringing to mind a beast. He was clearly wounded as well as exhausted. And finally his assailant, a young man with spiked gray hair poised to lunge at Elway once more, his cold but tired eyes clearly expressing intent to kill.

"Why the hell are you following us? You got a death wish?!" The young man hissed, kicking fiercely at Elway. A boot came directly for Elway's temple, but he ducked under the quick strike. The man turned with the momentum of the kick, bringing a knee to slam into Elway's core.

"I'm not here to fight!"

Bravura was brought up in front of the adventurer in a rough parry, throwing the other man off balance but not deterring him. He spun around in a circle, kicking all the while as projectiles came out of his _boots_ , shocking Elway. He nimbly weaved through the numerous projectiles sent his way as the Echo altered his vision, showing him the dangers of an unseen attack. He decided to try to interrupt the danger with a swing of the blunt side of Bravura but the heel of his opponent's boot came out from under his blind side, knocking his head upwards.

Stunned momentarily, Elway grit his teeth as the other man used the momentum from that kick to spring high into the air, eventually diving at the adventurer with a spinning kick all the while firing projectiles that began to chase Elway. Elway made a move to dodge the murderous strike, but from behind a set of two massive arms held him in place.

"About goddamn time Hazel!" The young man barked cockily.

Elway saw that the huge man was now behind him, holding him still so that the strike would connect cleanly. The young man's foot came closer and closer, but Elway quickly dug his feet into the earth with a roar, his inner beast surging slightly and threw the larger man using his shoulder, shaking his grip off fiercely and throwing him into the attack of the more agile assailant, using his body to block the projectiles. The two collided as they grunted with pain, shattering what Aura they had in reserve. As they seemed to lack energy at all now, Elway relaxed his stance and waited for them to recollect themselves.

"Easy now." Elway sheathed Bravura and held up his hands carefully to show that he meant them no more harm. "I followed the trail you left and noticed signs of combat. I simply wanted to assure your safety."

"Bullshit." The younger man hissed through grit teeth, panting on the ground next to the huge, older man. "You're with them, aren't you? They sent you from Haven, I bet!"

"I've no affiliation with them. I am a simple adventurer."

"Adventuring? Now I know you're a goddamned liar!" He stood up shakily, as if he was ready to attack once more. "You're a Huntsman, here to finish the job… It wasn't enough that you people killed Cinder, you're not about to leave loose ends!"

"Cinder…?" The name seemed familiar to Elway, but the memory was far and away. At the moment, he couldn't recall if that was someone that he had heard of in Remnant, especially with adrenaline still pumping through his body.

"Well I'M NOT ABOUT TO BE ANOTHER VICTIM! Leave us out of your war! Do whatever the hell you want with Salem or the relics, just leave us ALONE!" The young man's face contorted with hate and sorrow, the negative emotions only multiplying as he glanced at his still unconscious female companion.

The man charged at Elway once more with a scream full of desperation. Elway could only shake his head as he activated another soul stone, yellow in color. Bravura was replaced by a pair of black gauntlets on his fists, light pouring out of them.

Faster than the younger man could manage to see, Elway and his fists were enveloped in wind as he tackled him with his shoulder, stunning the desperate assailant. Once more Elway rushed into the assailant, a _Riddle of Wind._ A well-placed palm strike knocked the younger man back into a tree, as well as knocking him out of consciousness.

"It's not been easy on you lot, hm…?" Elway muttered, looking towards the huge man still kneeling on the floor. "I'll ask you to stay down."

"I can tell when we're beat." The older man grunted painfully. "And it was a long time ago."

"Seems you're a bit calmer and more willing to talk than him. May I ask your name?" Elway shrugged and decided to do what he could. He kneeled down in front of the larger man, taking note of all his wounds on his arms that opened likely due to the frequent exhaustion of his aura.

He simply passed a potion to the older man and gestured for him to drink. The man seemed to weigh his options, at first glance he thought it might have been poison, yet if the adventurer was to kill him then he could have done it already with ease. Sighing heavily, he popped the cork off the potion and took a heavy swing of it. In almost an instant, the wounds began to mend, though not completely.

"Hmph. Maybe not as calm as you think." The man wiped his mouth, lips turning to a slight smirk. "Name's Hazel."

"I'd say it's a pleasure, but, well…" Elway crossed his legs into a sitting position. "My name is Elway. As I said, I'm an adventurer passing through these parts. I suppose I'm going the opposite direction of you folk, however."

"You mean, going _to_ Haven?" Hazel replied gruffly. "Think you're better off not wasting your time, if you _are_ an adventurer."

"By that you mean…?"

"All I can say," Hazel said calmly, a tone suggesting that Elway pry no further. "is that the place doesn't seem to friendly to me."

"I'll have to see for myself then." Elway nodded. "Am I to assume that y…"

A bestial roar interrupted Elway as the two quickly looked around the area. They noticed several dozen pairs of red eyes glaring at them, as if they were prey.

"Grimm. Perfect." Elway tsk'd under his breath in annoyance. He guessed that the negative emotions pouring from the two youths on the floor, and perhaps Hazel, had been attracting the Grimm to them on the trail the entire time. Would explain their wounds and the constant signs of combat on their way.

"Hmph…" Hazel made a move to get up, grunting painfully as he attempted to stand. Elway put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head, keeping the older man down.

"Rest, and let your aura replenish." Elway advised respectfully. "I'm more than a little irritated myself, so allow me."

Hazel looked hesitantly at Elway, but decided it was a good opportunity to gauge the adventurer's strength. He nodded slowly and observed carefully.

The first Grimm to burst out of several clusters of bushes was a small pack of Beowolves. The soul crystal in Elway's hands changed once more, back the fierce red crystal of the Warrior. Bravura appeared once more as Elway roared, double the intensity of the small Grimm pack. He swiftly cleaved through several of the Beowolves leaping directly at him, and tossed an aethereal _Tomahawk_ with his other hand into the eyes of one charging. He dashed into the Beowolf blinded and kicked ferociously, his foot being buried deep into the monster as it howled. The last Beowolf to approach him was bisected by a _Heavy Swing_ of Bravura.

Next, a swarm of Lancers appeared overhead as an Ursa came barreling out from the forest, swinging wildly at Elway. Elway dashed directly at the Ursa and before its claws could reach him, uppercutted the beast with his free hand, an _Upheaval._ The punch threw the creature back, dislodging its jaw and cracking the mask. It reeled back as Elway sprinted towards it, leaping high and stomping its head into the dirt and destroying the Ursa's head. He used the momentum to leap high into the air to meet the descending Lancers. With a battle cry, he spun as he ascended, creating a _Steel Cyclone_ that severed the wings and heads of the insect-like Grimm.

As Elway began to fall to the ground, he heard a roar from below as a Gorilla-like Grimm, a Beringel, beat its chest and prepared to strike at Elway as he fell. Elway smirked at the Grimm as it beat its own chest, and dove straight down into the Grimm with his axe raised overhead. He crashed into the ground, creating a huge shockwave that _Decimated_ the Beringel almost instantly.

Hazel's vision of Elway was obscured through a cloud of dirt, but no longer sensed any Grimm in the area. Hazel only continued to observe the scene and noticed that the gray-haired young man had awoken, limping towards him.

"What the hell happened…?" The young man spoke, still in pain.

"That adventurer, well…" Hazel began as the dirt began to clear, and Elway stood in the aftermath, a crater having been created from the attack. His axe rested on his shoulder lazily as he turned to acknowledge the two other men. "Saved us a lot of trouble. To say the least."

"Oh crap…" The young man spoke under his breath.

Elway began to walk towards them, and the girl with dark skin began to stir from the commotion, unbeknownst to Hazel and his companion.

"Convenient beasts, those Grimm. No mess to clean up after." Elway scanned the area quickly once more, and noticed a very confused pair of red eyes staring at him from behind the two other men.

"Wha… Huh? Where am I…?" The girl began to clutch her head painfully. "W-Where's Cinder?!"

"Emerald! You've been out all this time and this is how you wake up?" The gray haired man spoke harshly with a hint of worry in his voice.

"Mercury, I…" Emerald looked at the man with a semblance of clarity until her head began to pound intensely, memories flooding back like a crashing waterfall. "AHHH!"

"Damn!" Mercury cursed, attention fully diverted to the girl in pain. "Emerald, Cinder is…"

"NO!" Emerald swatted her arm weakly at Mercury, who backed away slightly. "She must still be… She HAS to be alive still!"

Suddenly everyone's vision became distorted. Elway instinctively thought it might have been the Echo, but the other's reaction to the distortion proved otherwise. A hazy image began to form before them, the shape beginning to form into a woman. The woman, clad in an elaborate red dress began to try and speak, but no words would form. She walked forward menacingly, before becoming shrouded in flames.

"CUT THAT SHIT OUT!" Mercury screamed at her, the desperation from before creeping into his voice. "You've gotta face facts, and using your semblance won't change anything. She's gone!"

Meanwhile, Elway looked at the conjured figure. From Mercury's words, he guessed that she was an illusion. Yet what bothered Elway was that he recognized this woman.

From the Echo, when he saw the pasts of Ruby and Jaune. The woman known as Cinder was someone he couldn't believe forgetting, even in a vision provided by the Echo.

After all, she murdered Pyrrha Nikos. The girl whom young Team RNJR, as well as Weiss, had held in such high regard.

Elway stopped the grimace from appearing on his face, lest he reveal too much to the people who seemed to be allies of Cinder.

The image final began to fade, the woman shrouded in flames beginning to disappear.

"You don't know anything Mercury!" Emerald shot back in hysteria. "She must have retreated, she would never lose! So SHUT UP! I'm going back for her!"

"No you're not!" Mercury grabbed her arm violently. "Going back to Haven now is SUICIDE! You know as well as I do THEY'RE still there, and they won't hesitate…"

"LET ME GO!" Emerald tore her arm away from the young man, distancing herself from the group. "You're just scared of getting killed, even after EVERYTHING Cinder did for us! Just going to run away like you _always_ do, you coward?!"

"Why don't you understand, it's OVER for us! Sale-" Mercury was cut off by Hazel, who roughly put a hand on his shoulder, gesturing faintly to Elway.

"You've already said too much. Let's move." Hazel walked past Mercury and stopped in front of Emerald with an authoritative stance. "Whether you like it or not, _we_ can't go back and save Cinder. If you believe she's still alive, by all means, go get yourself killed."

Elway saw the sheer despair cross Emerald's face.

 _Even if they are people who I would typically call my enemies…_

 _The ones who were responsible for the suffering of that young team. Could they know of the Ascians?_

 _Yes, that's reason enough. They may know of someone related to the Ascians, if they are enemies._

"…Allow me to assist you." Elway finally spoke, acknowledging Emerald who was on the verge of collapsing once more. Emerald perked up for just a moment, but glared at Elway in an instant.

"What's your deal? We don't even know you, get the hell out of-"

"If I was after your lives, I'd have taken them long ago. Keep quiet and listen." Elway threatened, red eyes narrowing at her harshly. "I don't propose this to your benefit only. Truthfully, there is someone I am seeking. You lot seem to be my best chance."

"You've got a stake in this too..." Mercury put himself in between Elway and Emerald. "Are you serious about this? 'Cause the instant we catch any hint of you selling us out, we're out of here."

"I am." Elway made eye contact with Mercury, whose hostility seemed to be dropping. "Give me the information I need, and I'll do my part. Whether your ally is truly gone as you say, or alive, I'll bring something of worth back to you."

"Emerald." Mercury turned to her, both tired and sympathetic now. "Listen, this is our last shot for Cinder. If she's gone now, it's over. Got it?"

"…Okay. Okay, I get it." Emerald clenched her fists, eyes glued to the floor. "Please find her… for us. For me."

"Consider your request accepted." Elway bowed slightly, slightly drained. "Now, tell me all you can."

 **Haven Academy – Elway**

It seemed that Elway was right, in that the location he had been transported to was near Mistral. The group of Hazel, Mercury and Emerald had all been escaping from the location, but were still relatively close. Within a day's journey, without the constant fighting.

While significant details were left out, Elway had gotten the location he needed from them. They were escaping from Mistral, after losing their comrade. All he had been told after that was that she had disappeared after entering a 'Vault,' but no information on what the vault held was given. Only a messy description of the woman he was looking for, and a promise that the group of three would wait in the forests close by.

Either way, the information was good enough for him. This 'Cinder,' was someone he could identify through past visions with the Echo, through Ruby's memories, as well as the vision of the woman through Emerald's semblance. And if anyone was to have answers leading on the trail of the Ascians, she seemed the most likely for now.

Elway found the infiltrating the Academy was incredibly easy, easier than it should have been. The doors may have been blocked off and damaged, and the Academy seemed to be abandoned for the moment, but with a bit of force, a side entrance that was likely used for maintenance was opened easily. The door led to a Dust storage room, but Elway guessed this was not the vault they spoke of. Moving on, he proceeded into a hallway that led him to a central area, with a large set of stairs leading upwards. And in the center of the room, a giant hole in the floor, seeming to be missing a platform. Something that was used for descent to a lower area, obviously.

 _Well, if that isn't just a giant exclamation mark…_ Elway thought to himself with a dry chuckle.

Looking over the opening in the floor, he could easily see the platform of the elevator, a distance that he could hop down without much risk, as long as no enemies were present. Elway shrugged to himself and leapt into the hole, grinning as adrenaline pumped through his veins. As the ground approached he braced himself, putting Bravura below him in a mockery of the Dragoon's _Jump_ …

And crashed straight through the floor, shattering the platform and sending him into freefall. In an unfamiliar environment. Elway regretted his mistake instantly as he saw what _looked_ to be the Vault they spoke of, but he couldn't be too sure as he fell even further into the ground.

" **OH SEVEN HEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLSSSSS!** "

Elway continued to scream on his way down as he quickly pulled out the Dragoon Soul Crystal, Bravura being replaced by his newly-acquired spear, Ryunohige. A symbol of a dragon coiled around the blade of the spear, making it seem as if it had wings, but Elway had no time to admire the craftsmanship of the weapon as he gathered what momentum he could to stab the spear into the nearest wall he could reach, instantly stopping his descent but giving him a painful whiplash as his body was instantly stopped from crashing even more painfully into the ground further below.

"Oh gods damn it, I am never doing that again…" Elway shuddered. He observed the ground beneath him, which was a fair distance away, and likely not a dangerous jump this time. Just to be sure, he removed the spear from the wall, descending much more slowly this time, and landed gracefully with a flourish of his spear as if nothing had happened. Quickly switching his soul crystal once more to a Warrior, Bravura appeared on his back.

Performing a quick scan of the environment, he was in a basement area of the academy now, after having fell through what felt like several stories. What interested him was a powerful presence, and the slight sounds of screams further below. Exploration led him to a small hole in the floor, which he unceremoniously dropped through and crinkled his nose at the smell. Sewage.

Yet the foul smell also gave hints of blood. He looked at the floor, and a long trail of blood led to a room, one where he could hear screams clearly. Knowing this was likely what he was looking for, he burst into the room.

Elway wasn't too sure of the technology in Remnant, but the large electrical contraptions were likely generators, and the computers lined on one wall were most likely used for controlling parts of the underground system.

And the woman in red, black hair covering part of her face, screaming on the floor was probably Cinder.

A quick look at her revealed why she was in such pain, her left arm gruesome and black, flailing about wildly. The hand was replaced with a white claw, deforming the arm in a horrific manner. The arm seemed to be a type of Grimm, and by the looks of it, was going berserk. It flew in random directions, occasionally striking Cinder as she tried in vain to stop it. Her clothes had traces of ice on them, as well as being partly burned where damp sections of cloth were, perhaps from melting an ice that surrounded her form.

Either way, Elway made a face of disgust. He wasn't sure if it was disdain for her, or for the disgusting sight of the Grimm arm going berserk.

It seems as if the arm sensed him, because it began to stop attacking at Cinder and lashed out towards him.

"Well, I never agreed to bring _that_ back, at the very least." Elway motioned to the arm attacking him. Cinder seemed to finally notice him, and could only gawk at him in shock.

In an instant, Bravura was drawn. Elway gripped the Grimm arm in a vice as it tried to flail and strike him, walking towards Cinder. She instantly reacted with rage, about to hiss something at him, but Bravura, gripped tight in Elway's other hand, lashed out before she could speak.

Cinder's rage faded, being replaced with fear. Bravura was swung in an arc, just barely missing her head. Instead, it claimed her upper arm, instantly shattering what Aura she had as well as severing the Grimm arm from her person. The arm seemed to writhe in agony, before beginning to fade away.

As her arm was severed, Cinder screamed hysterically, before being cut short by the hilt of Bravura slamming into her head, knocking her unconscious.

"Just as unpleasant as imagined…" Elway muttered, tossing away the remains of the Grimm arm. He pulled out a glass vial containing an Elixir and poured in directly onto the severed stump of her arm. It healed the external wound, but she would need more focused treatment elsewhere. For now, it was more than enough for the likes of her. She would survive.

A humming noise began to fill his ear, and his vision began to blur. The Echo activated, showing him visions of Cinder's past.

A fight, in the Vault that he had only captured a glimpse of on his way here. Between Cinder and… Raven? Raven and Cinder both used feats that were only accomplishable by magic, though commonplace in Eorzea it was a rare sight to be seen here. Raven clearly had more experience, and had the upper hand, before a decisive blow was dealt with the help of Raven's fallen comrade. Elway felt the pain of Cinder being struck, and subsequently frozen. A spark still twinkled in Cinder's eyes as she began to immolate her own body, melting the ice but doing even more harm to her damaged body. The Grimm arm lashed out at the last minute, slowing her fall by clawing the walls, but also driving her even more mad.

The Echo began to fade out, as Elway pondered what he had just seen.

 _No information on Ascians… but magic being present in Remnant… I must see more with the Echo. She must be able to lead me to what I am searching for._

As he looked over Cinder's form laying in the corner of the room, he began to hear the faint moving of machinery in the distance. Academy personnel looking to inspect the area, he guessed, but all the same he had to hide.

Since the control room was not very well lit, he put himself behind one of the electrical generators in the room, the massive contraption combined with the darkness doing well enough to hide him from sight. Soon, the sounds of footsteps filled the air and Elway peeked from behind his hiding spot.

Elway smiled in surprise, the group that had made their way to this room was none other than the comrades he had met during his first journey in Remnant. Or, some of them at least. Qrow, Ruby, Jaune were among the group. Two unfamiliar figures were joined with them, one who seemed like a child and the other he recognized as Ruby's sister from the photographs he had seen, Yang.

They argued over something for a brief moment, before Jaune stepped forward, in front of Cinder's body with a grim expression. He began to raise his sword overhead, his eyes closed with apprehension and fear, and Elway knew he needed to stop the boy. Even if Elway wanted to let Cinder die, Jaune was not yet ready to take this life.

He sprinted out into the open, Bravura held out defensively in front of Cinder. A wide grin appeared on his face at the utter shock on the group's face.

"That axe…!" A squeaky, childish voice from the small girl.

"What?!" The sounds of a weapon being drawn from the girl with blonde locks.

"You're…!" And the cry of surprise from Jaune.

"Come now, Jaune. What's with the serious visage? Remember what I said? A smile better suits a hero."

"Elway?! What are you doing here?"

"Let's call it a quest." Elway answered honestly, but he knew they were not going to appreciate what the quest was for. "Now, how about you step away from my charge?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Qrow growled. Elway understood, the man had every right to be angry with him.

"I was asked to find her, by a certain someone." Elway said, concealing the people who requested Cinder. "And soon after I succeeded, I heard a group of people coming from above. What luck, that is was you all!"

"Don't you know what she's _done?"_ Jaune seethed, his grip on his sword tightening. "It's time she answered for her crimes! Why'd you stop me…?!"

"It is not yet time to bloody your hands." Elway shook his head, understanding Jaune's strife. But the boy could not even keep his eyes open as he did the deed. This would not solve anything. "I know _exactly_ what she has wrought, do not misunderstand. However, I did make a vow. And there is still much that you, too, do not know."

"You're asking us to just ignore it as you _save_ her?" Yang yelled, her eyes taking on a curious shade of crimson that Elway noticed. "Who the hell are you anyways?!"

"Elway, we can't just let her go. Even if we don't… put an end to her, we can't just let you leave here with her." Ruby pulled out Crescent Rose, her beloved weapon. "Please stand back!"

An unfortunate proceeding of events, but given the nature of Elway's mission here he should not have been surprised.

"I cannot do that, Ruby." Elway said, determined.

"Then we'll go THROUGH you!" Yang rushed towards Elway, who responded with a cocky grin. Qrow followed close behind Yang, and Elway heard the familiar noise of Crescent Rose being transformed into its sniper form. The child only stood back, as if observing Elway carefully.

"Seems that we'll be opponents for now." Bravura was slung over his shoulder. "Very well! Show me how much you've grown!"

Yang's fists shot forth at Elway's face, but he nimbly ducked and weaved between each fist. She brought up a knee to slam into Elway, but he backpedaled into the wall, close to Cinder. Qrow leapt up from behind Yang slashing with his sword at Elway's shoulder but Bravura parried the attempt and in a flash, Elway struck the man on his chin with a free hand, knocking him off balance as Elway spun around, performing a roundhouse kick and blowing Qrow back a far distance.

Several shots echoed through the room, and Ruby carefully sealed Elway's movements by not aiming directly at him, but instead aiming around him so that any sudden moves would cause him harm. Yang continued her charge, minding the line of Ruby's fire and tucked her arms in, making her form more compact. She dashed straight into him, slamming her mechanical hand into Elway's hand that held Bravura and slammed her other fist into Elway's gut fiercely.

Elway let out a slight growl, and brought his head forward, slamming it into Yang's, knocking her back slightly. Before he could make another move, Jaune appeared on his side and slashed at Elway's axe arm. Bravura met Crocea Mors soundly, but Jaune was calm. He met Elway's eyes apologetically, as Qrow came from behind furiously, stabbing his sword forth at Elway. Yang also recovered, and her gauntlet-clad arm let out a bursting noise, accelerating into Elway's direction by propelling itself with a backwards-shot shell.

Elway stomped forward, swinging Bravura with Crocea Mors still in a deadlock, and knocked Jaune aside. Trying to mind the axe so that it would not collide with any of the machinery, he charged with blinding speed straight into Qrow with his shoulder, an _Onslaught._ Now closer to Yang, he kicked at her legs so that he stumbled and brought his fist upwards in an _Upheaval,_ knocking her into Jaune who stumbled to the ground once more. Ruby sped towards Elway using her semblance, Crescent Rose now in its scythe form, and slashed at him in a flurry. Bravura met Crescent Rose blow for blow as Ruby span using her semblance to gain more and more momentum, but Elway has the advantage in strength still. She suddenly dashed backwards quickly and fired Crescent Rose propelling her back once more and transforming back to a sniper rifle.

Elway noticed too late as Qrow was behind him in a flash, and grabbed him from behind, locking his movement by grabbing both of Elway's arms from behind. Yang walked forward and cracked her knuckles, eyes still a fierce red. Elway made a move to shake Qrow off, but Yang slammed a fist into Elway's jaw, and another from her mechanical arm. Blow after blow came, many aimed at his head in an attempt to knock him out, and a fist to his gut every time he tried to break Qrow's hold.

"You picked the wrong fight." Yang muttered, looking into Elway's eyes.

"Perhaps I did." To her surprise, the flurry didn't do a proper job of fazing him, and he seemed relatively unharmed. Elway suddenly lashed out with his foot, catching Yang off guard and kicking her in the stomach sharply, causing her to back off. Before Qrow could manage something, he whipped his head back, straight into the other man's nose to loosen his grip. Elway used what momentum he could gather and spun around, elbowing Qrow in the eye and making him release his hold completely.

"Please, Elway stop this!" Ruby cried out finally. "We don't want to do this. And we already know that you're not doing your best here!"

"Hah. Impressive as always, Ruby. How did you know?" Elway relaxed, spitting out a small amount of blood, as the fight began to slow.

"You can't swing your weapon as freely as you usually do here." Jaune cut in, Crocea Mors still at the ready. "When we wanted to find a way to beat you, we figured a closed space would be the best to do it."

"We're ready to end this, even if you aren't. We have you outnumbered, Elway." Qrow said, Harbinger pointed at Elway.

"And how do you know I won't just remove all these obstacles, so that I may go as fight as I please?" Elway smirked, but even he knew the children had him figured out.

"You wouldn't put us in that much danger. These generators could explode if much damage was done to them." Jaune said softly. "Even if our goals are different, you wouldn't put our lives at risk. We know that much about you, Elway."

"You're correct." Elway chuckled. "To an extent."

"What does-"

Ruby was cut off, as a flash of light surrounded Elway. Instead of his usual Scion Adventurer's attire, he stood in a set of elaborate red robes, and on his side was a simple katana.

"You've done well in predicting that a closed space would be best suited to defeat me. As well as assuming I wouldn't deal any grave harm to either of you." Elway smiled, the gesture almost feeling disarming. "However, you've failed to anticipate this."

Before any of the group could respond, Elway was in front of Yang, who seemed hesitant at fighting Elway now. Her eyes seemed glued to the katana, and while she did not show it, a hint of fear showed through her actions. She stepped back, but Elway slammed the sheath of the katana into her side as she yelled in pain, bones threatening to fracture under the sheer force of the blunt strike. Elway followed up with a palm strike to her head that sent her flying into a wall and subsequently shattered her aura, and finally struck her using the handle of the katana on the side of her head, knocking her unconscious.

Qrow and Jaune ran forward with renewed anger, but Elway spun around, performing a large roundhouse kick, kicking them both in their cores. Elway dashed forward, slamming the end of the sheath into each one of them, Jaune on his armored chest and Qrow in his gut, the strike causing both of them to double over. Ruby looked on in a mixture of awe and shock, and failed to react to Elway coming straight at her. He swept her legs with a swift kick, then landed a painfully sharp strike with his sheath into her gut as she tried to recover using Crescent Rose as support, the sensation piercing through her aura. He spun around, creating a decent amount of momentum and knocked her out with a kick with a sandaled foot, simultaneously shattering her aura and sending her headfirst to the ground.

Jaune rushed forward after seeing Ruby fall, Crocea Mors now in its two-handed form. He raised it overhead to strike, sending it downwards with more strength than he though he was capable of. Elway swiftly dodged to one side, and the tip of the blade crashed into the ground, leaving Jaune defenseless. Elway kicked once at Jaune's exposed core, spun around and struck with the sheath at Jaune's neck. The strike caused Jaune to cry out in pain, but the cry was cut short as the sheath once more plowed straight into Jaune's temple from the other side.

Qrow grit his teeth, seeing the children fall, and wordlessly changed Harbinger into its scythe form, slicking his hair back. Elway looked at him with no anger, but with a determined face. Qrow swung Harbinger at Elway, aimed for his chest and Elway brought up the sheath of Kiku-Ichimonji to hold the scythe in place. Qrow released one hand from his scythe and aimed a straight punch at Elway's jaw. Elway was stunned temporarily, and Harbinger swung in several arcs that Elway clumsily parried with his still-sheathed sword.

Suddenly, the Echo showed him a short vision of an attack, and Elway leapt back swiftly. Unluckily, the roof where they once were collapsed, sending a mass of debris straight to the floor. Qrow grimaced, as if he predicted it, and continued his assault onto Elway. Several shotgun blasts were aimed at Elway, as he could only run to avoid, the katana not giving him the defensive capabilities of blocking several spread shots.

Qrow made an attempt to shoot unpredictably to catch Elway, but Elway dashed forward instead, katana finally drawn. Qrow instinctively shot directly at Elway, but his jaw dropped as the man sliced through spread of buckshot, surpassing the speed of the bullets. Just as quickly, Kiku-Ichimonji was back in its sheath, and Elway leapt upwards, slamming his knee into Qrow's jaw. The sheath of his katana smashed into Harbinger, loosening Qrow's grip, and Elway crashed the sheath forward in an uppercut into Qrow's chest, sending him flying back into a wall, shattering his aura in the same manner as Yang's.

"Bastard… holding back on us, huh?" Qrow spat out, though his malice was in short supply.

"I could say the same to you." Elway relaxed his stance with a sigh. "You could have put much more effort into that."

"You and I got somethin' in common." Qrow groaned out, a tired expression on his face. "We can't go all out with the kids around. My semblance ain't exactly beneficial for them."

"I see... I only hope the next time we meet will be a more favorable encounter." Elway said apologetically. The sheath slammed into Qrow's head, finally rendering him unconscious.

Only one other person remained in the room, still conscious. Elway looked towards the boy who seemed to carry himself with a regal manner.

"You don't wish to fight." Elway glared at the boy. His eyes measured Elway carefully, the simple clothing betraying his composed nature. "Just who are you?"

"Do I need to tell you? Or perhaps, do you already know?"

The boy walked forward, calmly. Elway observed him warily, but as he tried to recall anything possible about this unfamiliar figure, his vision began to blur. Quickly.

An intense pain, Elway clutched his head as he tried to stop the pain from the Echo. It consumed him, as if a thousand burning furnaces began to root themselves into his head.

"Ah… AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He couldn't hold back his scream, as thousands of years of memories began to rush through his head. Once an old man, blessed with the power of magic. Through several, several lifetimes he cultivated heroes. And watched each generation fell. Again and again, fighting against the darkness.

Just as quickly as the pain came, and the memories flooded, in an instant they were gone. Elway could recall a scarce few of the many memories he had seen, the ones of familiar faces, once students in a now ravaged academy.

"You're… Ozpin…"

That was all that Elway could manage while glaring at the young boy who stood in front of him, an unreadable emotion still on the youthful yet wise face.

 **Chapter 24 – A meeting once more**

 **A/N:** And there's the chapter! It was a lot longer than I expected it to be, but I enjoyed writing Elway's journey back into Remnant. I based his SAM fighting style on Asbel's style from Tales of Graces (despite it not being one of my more-liked Tales games), because for one, it'd be a nightmare trying to fit in all the Japanese words into the story without it being jarring, and two, he was trying his best to fight nonlethally. It will be a bit different than the last few times if it wasn't obvious, but that's not to say that he will be opposing the good guys for the entirety of the arc. In this arc, I want to explore the more gray side of being the Warrior of Light, instead of one who always stands on the side of people who are morally good (A similar theme to Side Story 8). We'll see how well it pans out for Elway, though.

Again, thank you guys very much for reading, and please leave a review! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter as well as the slightly different direction.


	33. Chapter 25

**A/N:** Hey guys, back with another chapter. Sorry it took so long again, it was a really busy point in life for me so I couldn't focus on writing as much as I wanted to. Patch 4.4 is a lot of fun, and honestly I can't wait for the next expansion news from the next fanfest. Been pretty busy so I haven't done a ton of the new tier, but I'm looking forward to progging 10-12 this time around. How'd you guys like the RWBY volume 6 premier? It was a strong opening, and I hope they can keep this quality up throughout.

To **Ijustwannahelp:** Thanks a bunch for the detailed review! To address your points piece by piece, about Yotsuyu, from my point of view it was allowing someone who had been trampled on the majority of their lives a chance of freedom. From both her past and the Garlean empire, who was only invested in her as a tool. Yotsuyu ended up wanting nothing more than a life of peace in the end, and has to come to terms with what she did as Yotsuyu, even if she cannot take it back, as well as continue living as Tsuyu. She is still Yotsuyu, but becoming Tsuyu is her second chance. But the main reason for me was to really just give Gosetsu a break. The man's family died before him, and then the one semblance of a family that he could piece together as his body begins to wear down was taken from him almost instantly. Watching him break down in 4.3 was heartbreaking to say the least, he was just an old man that saw his daughter die, pretty much. I did consider putting them on Remnant briefly, but it seemed a little farfetched at that moment. Guess I was a little concerned on how they would get by. Now as for Cinder, it's more about Elway than my personal decision as writer. As seen in side stories 7 and 8, he's got a huge savior complex. Partially due to his own nature combined with the Echo (granting him an abnormal and unhealthy amount of empathy), but also an ideal impressed onto him as he grew as a Warrior of Light. It's part of the reason why he's able to cope with all the blood on his hands. He can talk big about ending lives but he will typically hold himself back from killing unless he is emotionally affected greatly. Cinder is also pretty heavily implied to be alive from the volume 6 opening, so here's hoping my plans for the story can somewhat work with it. This arc will also hopefully show the unhealthier sides of Elway's nature, but I should let my writing do the talking. Again, thank you a lot! I really enjoy getting reviews like these.

Anyways, onto the chapter!

 **Chapter 25**

 **Haven Academy – Elway**

To see the past through someone else's eyes. That was one of the many powers afforded to wielders of the Echo. It had varying degrees of strength, a meager version of the Echo would often accompany visions with a pain that would threaten to render weaker beings unconscious. Elway's Echo was one of the strongest known.

It worked on a variety of beings, even those of the First Brood of Dragons. Yet this was the first time Elway had experienced multiple deaths through the Echo. No, not just multiple. The number of deaths he experienced was in the hundreds, and he could only guess that was but a portion of the myriad lives the boy who stood in front of him had lived.

"You're… Ozpin…"

Elway managed through grit teeth. General Ironwood had told him of the man who was their leader. But he hadn't told him just how far back Ozpin's past went. Elway had so many questions, about the nature of Remnant, the Grimm… and that woman he saw, skin pale as a spirit. Salem, they called her…

"Correct." The boy nodded, hands folded behind his back. "And you are?"

"…Elway." He carefully stood back. "What…what are you?"

An undying being. One who saw countless generations. Elway already had the answer to the question he had asked, but…

"A man cursed." Ozpin spoke solemnly. "Cursed by the gods. And you… I assume your situation is quite the opposite. A man blessed by the gods. Not only blessed, but with a certain power…"

"How did you?!" Elway drew back. "Do you know that I have the power of…"

"The Echo?" Ozpin smiled mysteriously. "Your episode just now confirmed it for me, but you give off the same aura as one who possessed it, long ago."

"You mean that Remnant has other wielders of the Echo? Where?!" Elway shouted fiercely. "Tell me, who else? Does this mean that this is one of the Worlds connected to the Source?!"

"There are others. But that is not for me to say. The children told me of you, that you are an adventurer. So is it not your role to seek out those answers?" Ozpin spoke coolly in response to Elway's heated questioning. "If you continue along this path, then you will find what you seek. Although I would suggest you do it soon."

Elway looked back, and noticed Yang beginning to stir, the first person to be incapacitated in their fight. Truthfully, he didn't want another confrontation. At all. It was taxing enough bearing arms against mere children just once.

Ozpin seemed to take Elway's silence as a response, and the boy's body grew limp for just a moment. His eyes glowed momentarily, and the boy looked around in a panic.

"Fine then, Ozpin…" Elway muttered. He turned to the still unconscious body of Cinder Fall, slinging her over his shoulder carefully, and walked past the small boy whose body hosted Ozpin. Before he left, he stopped by the door. "But allow me this, for when we next meet. How many more will die for your cause?"

Oscar turned around, and Elway was gone.

 **Haven Outskirts – Elway**

 _Damn it all, damn it all…_

"Gods DAMN it all!"

Elway slammed a nearby tree with his arm. The force of his frustrated blow uprooted the tree almost instantly, toppling it over and causing a light tremor to resound through the forest.

 _Why in the seven hells does this bother me so?_

 _Because of his weakness? Because of his sins?_

No, Elway knew the answer. It was because he knew that as much as he wanted to judge Ozpin for what he had seen, a myriad lifetimes of watching students and trainees perish, all for him, he could not judge the immortal.

Because Elway was the same. He watched his comrades give their lives for him, regardless of his say in the matter. His breathing quickened as his heart stung at the thought of Haurchefant, Ysayle, Moenbryda and Papalymo…

And it was likely that they wouldn't be the last. He was fated to be a warrior, one who strives to save, but a warrior with bloodied hands all the same.

And he could not judge Ozpin for sending children to fight, either. Only recently did he encourage Alphinaud to go into enemy territory, to negotiate in hopes of peace. Yet they had still heard nothing from him. He frequently reassured Alisaie of her strength, and her courage in combat. For all Elway could muster, he was doing the same as the immortal. Sending children to fight, the reaper's scythe hanging over their heads.

Ozpin would only be able to watch as his students fell to a vicious cycle of violence. That was _all he could_ do.

Elway would fight, and fight for all he was worth. Yet when his recklessness and grit would not be enough, his comrades would give their lives for the cause, for _HIS_ weakness.

So Elway was not furious at Ozpin, not as much as he was furious with himself. Every death that Elway could see through Ozpin's eyes in the brief yet eternity-long vision of the Echo, he felt Ozpin's powerlessness, and the student's hope that they passed to Ozpin. Over and over again. For every death, Elway could see the images of his comrades falling, passing their hopes to him. The Scions, the Grand Companies, his comrades in Soul Crystals. Yugiri, his beloved.

Each passing wounded Ozpin, and Elway knew that each one of his comrades was just as important to him as they were to Ozpin, and the immortal had experienced it thousands of times over. At the end, where they stood, Ozpin's seeming nonchalance towards the situation had been a controlled reaction. He was tired, of seeing comrades fall. So he would strive to make each generation stronger than the last, in hopes of one day ending the cycle. Regardless of how they felt about the secrets he kept.

Elway finally felt some semblance of his temper beginning to subside, and looked towards his still unconscious charge. Cinder Fall. His anger flared once more.

He saved one who was responsible for so many deaths. He vowed to save her without thinking, all because of his bloodthirsty hunt for the Ascian. But was that all?

 _No_ , he thought as we watched over Cinder. _I couldn't allow those children to live with blood on their hands just yet. And Cinder… She was his closest lead to finding anything on the Ascians._

Poor justification that it was, Elway grit his teeth. He knew that his compulsion to help her was not born of just his quest to find the Ascian. It was because he could not ignore her suffering. The Echo made him painfully aware of the fact that her mental state was in disarray, her mind shaped by a darker power. The longer he stayed with her, the more about her the Echo revealed.

She craved power, dominion. She cared not for her companions, even Emerald, who asked that Elway seek her out and save her. In other words, the kind of person that Elway was destined to put an end to. Yet he couldn't help but wonder if all of her kind were doomed to a fate of no redemption. Was it truly his place to say, when Remnant was not even his world?

Disgust for himself grew.

A rustle in the forest, and a party of three made themselves known to Elway. It was time for their agreement.

Elway tried to calm himself to no real avail. Everything about this was too much for him, an outsider. He turned to face Hazel, Mercury and Emerald.

"You lot. As you can see," Elway gestured to Cinder without looking at her. "I've upheld my part of the bargain."

"Yeah. About that." Mercury spoke. Elway glanced at him, before quickly jumping back, hand already on the sheath of Kiku-Ichimonji. Emerald opened fire with her unorthodox weapon at his position, as he continued to dash around the area, using trees as cover. "This won't go like last time!"

"So, that's how it is." Elway muttered despite them not being able to hear him. Hazel and Mercury dashed towards him simultaneously, Mercury far surpassing his speed during their first encounter, and Hazel looking more invigorated than ever. It seems that they recovered well in the time that Elway had been gone.

Mercury struck first, landing a combination of kicks successively, twirling around using his hands to pivot himself on the ground. Elway blocked most of the strikes, but the heavy metal of his feet stunned him temporarily as Mercury tripped Elway with a low kick aimed at his knees.

Hazel followed up with a fierce punch downwards that Elway barely had time to bring his sheathed katana up to block, but left him pinned on the floor. Emerald came into view, her weapons now shifted into their bladed form, and rushed towards Elway as he headbutted Hazel, knocking the older man away a bit. Mercury joined her, leaping into the air and shooting projectiles at Elway who slashed them out of his way wordlessly.

Before Hazel could attack once more, Elway rushed him in a flash, Kiki-Ichimonji drawn. He parried the huge fist aimed at his head and stabbed forth into Hazel's stomach. The large man attempted to block the weapon with his other hand, but the force of Elway's attack pierced through and shattered his Aura seamlessly, as if it wasn't there. The weapon embedded itself into Hazel's stomach as he roared, still following through with his punch. Elway met his fist with his own, before punching the hilt of Kiku-Ichimonji deeper into the man, sending him flying back into the ground. Elway axe-kicked the sword down into the man, embedding it deeper. The katana pinned him to the floor as he struggled against it. With his Aura broken, Elway stomped on Hazel's ankles, twisting them so that the man couldn't rise until his Aura recovered. Surprisingly, Hazel only struggled harder to pull the weapon out of himself and the ground.

 _He doesn't feel pain. Interesting._ Elway thought to himself, and spun around, ducking under Mercury's kick as the younger man approached from the sky. He grabbed Mercury's leg midair and swung him around, using him to club Emerald as she swung her weapons at Elway. She was knocked back a distance, but managed to reduce the damage by bringing her weapons up last second. Mercury struggled against Elway, trying in vain to kick at him, but Elway swung him into the ground, stunning him. He noted the feel of his legs, confirming his suspicions that it was a mechanical limb. The same went for the other. Mercury cursed at him, firing projectiles from his feet point blank at Elway, who only glared back at him as he was only barely harmed by the attack, using his free arm to cover himself.

Anger enveloped Elway as he violently brought his knee up into Mercury's replacement limbs in succession. Within the first few strikes with his knee, Mercury's Aura broke as he cried out. Elway's glare intensified, and he acted on his fury, slamming his knee into Mercury's prosthetic leg until it bent in a direction that he could no longer walk on. With his Aura exhausted, Elway slammed his head into the ground. He tossed him aside casually, looking at Emerald, the last person standing.

Her expression was a mix of horror, anger and sorrow. Elway walked towards her slowly, fists clenched.

"RUN EMERALD! NOW!" Hazel shouted at her. Elway ignored his shouts. He would deal with him later.

"Don't even attempt to use your Semblance." Elway spat out, his eyes glowing red. "I've already witnessed it once with your outburst when we last met."

Emerald could only stagger back as Elway approached carefully. She didn't say anything, either too scared or not well enough to do so.

"I'm assuming the reason you've all betrayed me is to keep me silent as you take Cinder. So I assume you won't give me the information I need."

"Hell no!" Mercury screamed from behind him as he struggled to rise. The prosthetic Elway almost destroyed could no longer function as a weapon, or even a leg, and the other leg was frayed from Elway's grip. "We're dead as soon as we let anything about _her_ slip, so tough shit!"

"By _her_ , you mean Salem?" Elway responded, looking back at a surprised Mercury with one eye. "Not the information I was seeking. But seeing as how you've already betrayed me, I'll get the information myself."

"You're still not getting anything out of us, damnit!" Mercury shouted, frustrated.

Emerald screamed with the same frustration, dashing towards Elway with desperation. She slashed at him furiously, though each strike was dodged or parried by his hands alone. Elway backed up, assessing her weapons. To his surprise, the weapons unfurled to revealed a chain mechanism as the bladed parts extended and chains wrapped around him. The chains wrapped around his waist, but he simply scoffed at the attempt and caught the blades midair, causing Emerald to gasp as he rusher her and kneed her in the stomach. Her grip on the weapons weakened but did not falter as she struggled to regain control, but he stomped on her foot, preventing her from moving and grit his teeth as he threw a fierce fist into her stomach, making her crumple to her knees. Her Aura was shattered, and she laid helpless.

Elway stepped above her as he unwrapped the chains from his person, glaring at her all the while, daring her to make any more moves. She seemed to give up, refusing to meet his eyes.

"I'll be taking Cinder then, if the deal is to be concluded like this." Elway spoke, his voice still underlined with anger.

"What?! No, no NO! PLEASE!" Emerald cried, finally meeting his eyes. Her own red eyes had begun to fill with tears once more, but Elway didn't react in the slightest.

"I've saved her. That should be enough for you. Consider this a penalty for the betrayal." Elway responded to her casually. "And you have my word... I _will_ have my information, whether you speak or not."

The Echo activated, his vision blurred briefly, and he was taken into her memory.

 **? – Elway**

Carrying a still unconscious Cinder on his back, Elway huffed as he traveled slowly. He covered her face and body with a robe and hood to be sure, yet the extra burden for the distance to be traveled was largely unwelcome. Especially since, from what he saw of her, he detested her.

As for her comrades, he threatened the other three that he wouldn't hesitate next time he saw them. Hopefully it would be enough to keep them away from him for the remainder of the journey.

The memories of Emerald and the other two offered him but one glance at the hooded figure he sought. While it was a questionable if the Ascian was still present at the location of their memories, it was his best chance.

A base in Mistral, for an organization known as the White Fang. The Ascian was only seen once, speaking to a man known as Adam.

 **Chapter 25 – Penalty for betrayal**

 **A/N:** And there it is. Sorry again it took so long, but I hope you guys enjoyed it. Some stuff here will definitely go off the rails from canon, like the existence of the Echo in Remnant and Team RWBY/_NJR knowing that Cinder is alive. Elway was a lot more aggressive than usual in this chapter because of his anger at Ozpin's situation as well as his own self-deprecation, and it'll definitely show itself more in this arc.

Anyways, please leave a review and I hope that I can bring you guys the next chapter sooner than this one did! Thanks for reading, and happy Halloween everyone!


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